Question

What is the slope of the line that passes through the points (5, 8) and (11, 5)? Write

your answer in simplest form.

Answer 1

Answer: -1/2

Work Shown:

`(x_1,y_1) = (5,8) \text{ and } (x_2,y_2) = (11,5)\\\\m = \text{slope} = \frac{\text{rise}}{\text{run}} = \frac{\text{change in y}}{\text{change in x}}\\\\m = \frac{\text{y}_(2) - \text{y}_(1)}{\text{x}_(2) - \text{x}_(1)}\\\\m = (5 - 8)/(11 - 5)\\\\m = (-3)/(6)\\\\m = -(1)/(2)\\\\`

A slope of -1/2 means we go down 1 and to the right 2 units.

This is because rise = -1 and run = 2.

The fraction -1/2 is equivalent to the decimal form -0.5