Introduction to Identifying and Using Slope
As we’ve been graphing linear equations, we’ve seen that some lines slant up as they go from left to right and some lines slant down. Some lines are very steep and some lines are flatter. What determines whether a line slants up or down, and if its slant is steep or flat?
The steepness of the slant of a line is called the slope of the line. The concept of slope has many applications in the real world. The pitch of a roof and the grade of a highway or wheelchair ramp are just some examples in which you literally see slopes. And when you ride a bicycle, you feel the slope as you pump uphill or coast downhill.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this section, you will be able to:- Find the slope of a line from its graph
- Find the slope of horizontal and vertical lines
- Use the slope formula to find the slope of a line between two points
- Graph a line given a point and the slope
- Solve slope applications
Examples
- Simplify: [latex]\frac{1 - 4}{8 - 2}[/latex].If you missed this problem, review [link].
- Divide: [latex]\frac{0}{4},\frac{4}{0}[/latex].If you missed this problem, review [link].
- Simplify: [latex]\frac{15}{-3},\frac{-15}{3},\frac{-15}{-3}[/latex].If you missed this problem, review [link].
Licenses & Attributions
CC licensed content, Shared previously
- Slanted Roof. License: CC0: No Rights Reserved.
CC licensed content, Specific attribution
- Prealgebra. Provided by: OpenStax License: CC BY: Attribution. License terms: Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected].
