Slope
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The slope of a line
measures the steepness of the line.
Most of you are probably familiar with associating slope with "rise over run".
any units you move up or down from point to point. On the graph that would be a
change in the
y
values.
Run
means how far left or right you move from point to point. On the graph, that would mean
a
change of
x
values
.
Here are some visuals to help you with this definition:
Positive Slope:
Note that when a line has a positive slope it rises up left to right.
Negative Slope:
Note that when a line has a negative slope it falls left to right.
Zero Slope:
slope
= 0
Note that when a line is horizontal the slope is 0.
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Undefined Slope:
slope
= undefined
Note that when the line is vertical the slope is undefined.
Slope Formula Given Two Points
Given two points
and
The subscripts just indicate that these are two different points. It doesn't matter which
one you call point 1 and which one you call point 2 as long as you are consistent
throughout that problem.
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- Spring '11
- Kindle
- Algebra, Slope
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