rate of change

Question

Jessa is given the points (4, -1) and (-2, 3). She needs to find the rate of change between these two points.

Answer 1

 

Given no other information, it is assumed the two points form a straight line.

 

The rate of change is rise/run (= change in y value/change in x value) which is also called the slope of the line.

 

         slope = (3-(-1)) / (-2 -4) = 4/-6 = -2/3

 

 

Slope calculations are defined as long as there is a nonzero change in x,   otherwise you end up with 0 in the denominator and the slope is undefined.