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Algebra Difficulty 2.3 Junior Find the answer

If a line segment joins the points (9,2)(-9,-2) and (6,8)(6,8), how many points on the line segment have coordinates that are both integers?

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

The line segment with endpoints (9,2)(-9,-2) and (6,8)(6,8) has slope 8(2)6(9)=1015=23\frac{8-(-2)}{6-(-9)}=\frac{10}{15}=\frac{2}{3}. This means that starting at (9,2)(-9,-2) and moving 'up 2 and right 3' repeatedly will give other points on the line that have coordinates which are both integers. These points are (9,2),(6,0),(3,2),(0,4),(3,6),(6,8)(-9,-2),(-6,0),(-3,2),(0,4),(3,6),(6,8). Therefore, there are 6 such points.

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