Verified Answer :

  • Identify the point-slope form \(y - y_0 = m(x - x_0)\) from the given equation \(y - 4 = \frac{1}{2}(x - 1)\).
  • Extract the slope \(m = \frac{1}{2}\) by observing the coefficient of the \(x\)-term.
  • Identify the point \((x_0, y_0) = (1, 4)\) by comparing the constants in the equation.
  • Final answer: the slope is \(\boxed{\frac{1}{2}}\) and a point is \(\boxed{(1, 4)}\).

Explanation

  1. Analyzing the Equation of the Line

The equation of the line is given in the point-slope form: \(y - 4 = \frac{1}{2}(x - 1)\). The point-slope form of a linear equation is generally expressed as \(y - y_0 = m(x - x_0)\), where \(m\) represents the slope of the line and \((x_0, y_0)\) is a specific point lying on that line. Identifying these parameters allows us to understand the geometric properties of the line directly from its equation.

  1. Extracting the Slope and Point

By comparing the given equation \(y - 4 = \frac{1}{2}(x - 1)\) with the standard form \(y - y_0 = m(x - x_0)\), we can extract the required values. The coefficient of the parenthesis \((x - 1)\) is the slope \(m\). Thus, by inspection, we find that \(m = \frac{1}{2}\). Similarly, by matching the constants \(y_0\) and \(x_0\) from the terms \((y - y_0)\) and \((x - x_0)\), we see that \(y_0 = 4\) and \(x_0 = 1\). This identifies \((1, 4)\) as a point on the line.

  1. Final Conclusion

In summary, the slope of the line is \(m = \frac{1}{2}\) and a point on the line is \((1, 4)\). These values fully characterize the line in the Cartesian plane. The slope is \(\boxed{m = \frac{1}{2}}\) and the point is \(\boxed{(1, 4)}\).

Examples

Understanding the point-slope form is essential for modeling linear relationships in real-world scenarios. For example, if you know the starting temperature of a chemical reaction is \(4^\circ C\) at time \(1\) minute, and the temperature increases at a constant rate of \(0.5^\circ C\) per minute, you can represent the temperature \(y\) at time \(x\) as \(y - 4 = 0.5(x - 1)\). Mastering this form helps in quickly determining the rate of change and the initial conditions of various dynamic systems.