Find the slope of the line through each pair of points?

Question

(6.-4), (4,-11)

Answer 1

You need to remember the slope formula     m =(y₂ - y₁)/(x₂ - x₁)

 

For your point (6,-4)(4,-11)           m = (-11 - (-4) )/(4 - 6)

 

                                                   m = (-11 + 4)/(4 - 6)

 

                                                   m = -7/ -2     the negative sign cancel

 

                                                    m = 7/2

Answer 2

The slope of the line through the points (x₁ , y₁) and (x₂ , y₂) is:

 

slope = m = (y₂ - y₁)/(x₂ - x₁)

 

In this case the points are: (6 , -4) and (4 , -11), the slope is:

 

m = (-11 -(-4))/(4 - 6) = (-11 + 4)/(-2) = (-7)/(-2) = 7/2 => answer

 

 

Answer 3

Hi Juliana,

 

To calculate slope, it is important to understand what slope is.   Essentially, it's how "steep" a line is on the coordinate plane.  This is represented as the "rise" (y) of the line divided by its "run" (x), which often is represented by the variable "m."  You need two points on the line to calculate slope.

We always take the second coordinate (more to the right on the plan) and subtract from this the first coordinate (more to the left).  A negative slope means the line is sloping downward as it "moves" to the right.  A positive slope means it's sloping upward.

 

So, for your points, we have to reverse the order to make sure we have the right-most coordinate first:

 

m = (- 4 - [-11]) / (6 - 4)

m = (-4+11) / 2

m = 7 / 2

 

There you go!

 

Evan

 

The line is sloping