Question

What is the slope of the line through (-1,8) and (3,-4)?

Answer 1

The slope of any line on the x-y plane is expressed as the rise divided by the run - the "rise" here is the change in the y coordinate, and the "run" is the change in the x coordinate. Given -4 and 8 as your y coordinates in this problem, and 3 and -1 as your x coordinates, how can you find the change - or difference - in each? Once you have those, you'll just need to put the


`(change\ in\ y)/(change\ in\ x)`

Answer 2

-3

Explanation:

The slope of a line is the ratio of the vertical distance and horizontal distance between two points on a line.

Note that zero is tangible if the line is horizontal, and undefined if it is vertical.

Slope = ∆y / ∆x

Coordinates given: (-1,8) and (3,-4)?

Slope = -4 - 8 / 3 - (-1)

Slope = -12 / 4

= - 3