Question

Are negative slopes steeper than positive slopes

Answer 1

No, they are not necessarily steeper.

Explanation:

Steepness is the absolute value of a slope. (The sign of a slope determines the direction of the incline: negative slope corresponds to pointing up to the left, positive slope points up to the right.)

So it is only the absolute value of a slope that should be used in any comparison. Because of that, one cannot, in general, say that negative slopes are steeper than positive slopes.

Answer 2

A higher positive slope means a steeper upward tilt to the curve, which you can see at higher output levels. A negative slope that is larger in absolute value (that is, more negative) means a steeper downward tilt to the line.