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What is the slope of line a?



What is the slope of line a? ​-example-1
User Donnamarie
by
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1 Answer

7 votes

Answer: -1/4 (choice C)

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Step-by-step explanation:

Start at the point (0,1). This is the y intercept, which is where the graph crosses the y axis.

Then move down 1 and over to the right 4 spaces. We arrive at (4,0) which is the x intercept.

The process of "down 1, over to the right 4" can be thought of like this

rise/run = -1/4

rise = -1

run = 4

A rise of -1 indicates we go down 1 unit

The run of 4 means we move to the right 4 units

So that's why slope = rise/run = -1/4

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Here's another approach using the slope formula:

m = (y2-y1)/(x2-x1)

m = (0-1)/(4-0)

m = -1/4

I used the two points (0,1) and (4,0) as (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) respectively. This formula basically says "subtract the y coordinates, subtract the x coordinates in the same order, then divide the differences y over x".

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Side note: The line moving downhill, as we read from left to right, indicates a negative slope.

User ChopperCharles
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