1. **Problem Statement:**
Show that if a line passes through points $(x_1, y_1)$ and $(h, k)$ with slope $m$, then the equation $k - y_1 = m (h - x_1)$ holds.
2. **Formula for slope:**
The slope $m$ of a line passing through two points $(x_1, y_1)$ and $(x_2, y_2)$ is given by:
$$m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1}$$
3. **Apply the formula to given points:**
Here, the two points are $(x_1, y_1)$ and $(h, k)$, so:
$$m = \frac{k - y_1}{h - x_1}$$
4. **Rearranging the equation:**
Multiply both sides by $(h - x_1)$ to isolate the numerator:
$$m (h - x_1) = k - y_1$$
5. **Conclusion:**
This shows that the difference in the $y$-coordinates equals the slope times the difference in the $x$-coordinates, which is exactly the statement to prove:
$$k - y_1 = m (h - x_1)$$
This formula is fundamental in coordinate geometry and expresses the relationship between slope and coordinates of points on a line.
Line Slope Formula
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