Write the equation y-1=-1/2(x+4) in slope intercept form.

Hello!

The slope-intercept form of a linear equation is

`y=mx+b.`

Here `m` is the slope of the straight line representing this equation on a coordinate plane, and `b` is the y-intercept of this line (the value of `y` when `x=0`).

It is simple to transform any linear equation into this form: solve for `y` and combine like terms in the solution.

In our case, `y-1=-1/2(x+4)`  is the same as `y=-1/2(x+4)+1`

(we move `-1` to the right changing its sign).

Now open the parentheses using the distributive law:

`y=-1/2(x+4)+1=-(1/2)x-(1/2)*4+1.`

Finally, combine like terms (with and without `x`):

`y=-(1/2)x-(1/2)*4+1=-(1/2)x-2+1=-(1/2)x-1.`

This is the desired form, `y=-(1/2)x-1,`  with  `m=-1/2`  and  `b=-1.`