how do find the rate of change from a graph?

Question

it"s hard to find the rate of change from a graph

Answer 1

The rate of change is the slope of a graph.

 

If your graph is time vs. distance, then the slope is the rate of change of the distance (with respect to time).

 

The rate of change of distance is velocity in this example if that helps.

 

 

Also a note about units:

The slope of a graph will have units of x/y. So if the x units are feet (distance), and the y units are seconds (time) the units of the slope are x/y, feet/seconds, distance/time. In this case a speed

 

The other relation of a graphs units are the area, where the area of a graph has units of x*y.

x*y, feet*seconds, distance*time. In this case an impulse