To write the equation of a line we must have a slope and a point. To find the slope we use the slope formula and substitute (x,y) points in it as shown below:
Now that we have the slope, plug in the slope and choose one point to plug into the point slope formula. Use the point-slope form to write the equation, then simplify and convert into the slope intercept form.
1. Each value of temperature is lower than the one previous, so we can say the temperature is decreasing. We also notice that the rate of decrease is getting smaller, possibly because the temperature is approaching a horizontal asymptote.
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2. The horizontal axis, where temperature is plotted, is conventionally called the x-axis.
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3. The label on the vertical axis is "temperature" and the graph title is "cooling a hot drink ...", so we presume the dependent variable is the temperature of a hot drink.