Finding Slope
- Author:
- Nevin Katz
- Topic:
- Equations
To find the slope of a linear function, you need to measure its rate of change between two points. This is called the line's slope
The slope (or rate of change) of a line is the ratio of its change in y to its change in x. Another way to say this is that the slope of a graph is its "rise" divided by its "run" between two points. A formula for the slope m between points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) could be written as:
or
In the applet below, calculate the slope of the line by using the formula above and two points on the line. If the graph is not linear, give that as your answer. Keep practicing until you get five correct answers in a row.