Definition

Point-Slope Form of an Equation of a Line

The point-slope form is a way of writing the equation of a line when its slope and one point on the line are known. For a line with slope mm that passes through the point (x1,y1)(x_1, y_1), the equation is: yy1=m(xx1)y - y_1 = m(x - x_1) In this form, mm is the slope, and (x1,y1)(x_1, y_1) is any specific point on the line. The point-slope form is especially useful when finding equations of lines because it requires only a slope and a single point — unlike slope-intercept form, which requires the yy-intercept specifically. Once the known values are substituted, the equation can be simplified and rewritten in slope-intercept form y=mx+by = mx + b if desired.

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Updated 2026-05-06

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