Concept understanding — Straight Lines — Forms of the Equation
The general (linear) equation of a straight line is ax+by+c=0, where a,b are not both zero; the set of solutions of any such equation is a straight line in the plane. Because dividing through by b (or a) removes one constant, every line's equation genuinely contains only two independent arbitrary constants — so exactly two independent pieces of information (two points, or a point and a slope, or two intercepts, etc.) are enough to pin a line down uniquely.
Slope. The angle of inclinationθ of a line is the angle it makes with the x-axis, measured counter-clockwise; the slopem=tanθ (undefined when θ=π/2, i.e. for a vertical line). Equivalently, through two points (x1,y1),(x2,y2) with x1=x2, m=x2−x1y2−y1; from the general form, m=−a/b (b=0). Three points are collinear exactly when the slope of any one pair equals the slope of another pair sharing a point.
Intercepts. The x-intercept is where a line meets the x-axis (y=0); the y-intercept is where it meets the y-axis (x=0). (x=0 is itself the equation of the y-axis; y=0 is the equation of the x-axis.)
The six forms (two conditions each, all interconvertible by algebra):
Normal length p, angle α of the normal with the x-axis
xcosα+ysinα=p
Parametric, through (x1,y1) at inclination θ, parameter r = signed distance from (x1,y1)
cosθx−x1=sinθy−y1=r
Special cases of slope-intercept form: b=0,m=0 gives a line through the origin, y=mx; b=0,m=0 gives the x-axis itself, y=0; b=0,m=0 gives a horizontal line y=b. The point-slope form breaks down for a line parallel to the y-axis (slope undefined); such a line is simply x=x1. A line through the origin, or a horizontal/vertical line, cannot be written in intercept form (an intercept would be 0 or undefined).
General form to other forms. For Ax+By+C=0 (A,B not both 0): slope =−A/B, y-intercept =−C/B (when B=0); x-intercept =−C/A, y-intercept =−C/B (when A,B,C all nonzero); normal form is obtained by dividing through by ±A2+B2, choosing the sign so the resulting constant (the normal length p) comes out positive: cosα=∓A/A2+B2, sinα=∓B/A2+B2, p=∣C∣/A2+B2.
Tip
A real-world quantity that changes at a constant rate (speed, population growth, spring stretch per unit weight, a linearly-billed cost) is exactly a straight-line relationship — identify the two data points or the rate (slope) and one value (intercept/point) given, then apply the matching form above.
The intercepts are (a,0) and (0,b), so their midpoint P(r,c)=(2a,2b) gives a=2r,b=2c; substituting into the intercept form ax+by=1 gives the required identity.
✓Final answer
rx+cy=2 — proved.
Write the intercepts as (a,0) and (0,b), use the midpoint condition to express a,b in terms of r,c, then substitute into the intercept form of the line.
A line meeting the axes has x-intercept (a,0) and y-intercept (0,b); "the segment between the axes" is the segment joining these two points, and P(r,c) is its midpoint.
Step 1. Write the line in intercept form. For a line with x-intercept a and y-intercept b (both nonzero):
ax+by=1
Step 2. Use the midpoint condition.P(r,c) is the midpoint of (a,0) and (0,b), so
r=2a+0=2a,c=20+b=2b
hence a=2r and b=2c.
Step 3. Substitute back into the intercept form. Replacing a=2r,b=2c in Step 1:
2rx+2cy=1
Multiplying both sides by 2:
rx+cy=2
which is exactly what was to be shown.
✓Final answer
rx+cy=2 — proved, using a=2r,b=2c from the midpoint condition.
Treating P(r,c) as a point ON the line to be substituted directly into x/a+y/b=1 instead of using it to find a,b — that gives r/a+c/b=1, which is a true but different (and not the required) statement.
Mixing up which coordinate of P corresponds to the x-intercept vs y-intercept.