Every line ona coordinate plane can be represented with a unique lin-
ear equation. This linear equation can be used to generate new points that
will be on the line. The same linear equation can also be used to test if given
points “satisfy the equation” and sit on the line. Linear equations have two
different basic forms, but no linear equation will ever have an xor yvari-
able with any exponent other than 1. (For example, y = 4x^2 and y^3 = 38 are
not linear equations.)
21
The Equation
of a Line