To determine the equation of the line \( y = mx \) that describes the proportional relationship indicated by the points (3,9), (2,6), and (1,3), we need to find the slope \( m \).
The slope \( m \) can be calculated using two points from the data. Let's use the points (1,3) and (3,9).
The formula for the slope \( m \) between two points \((x_1, y_1)\) and \((x_2, y_2)\) is given by:
\[ m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \]
Using points (1,3) and (3,9):
- \( (x_1, y_1) = (1, 3) \)
- \( (x_2, y_2) = (3, 9) \)
Plugging in the values:
\[ m = \frac{9 - 3}{3 - 1} = \frac{6}{2} = 3 \]
Now that we have the slope \( m = 3 \), the equation of the line through the origin is:
\[ y = 3x \]
Thus, the equation of the line that describes the proportional relationship is:
\[ y = 3x \]