The slope represents the steepness or inclination of a line
What is a slope?
In the context of linear equations, the slope represents the steepness or inclination of a line. It is defined as the ratio of the vertical change to the horizontal change between any two distinct points on the line.
The slope is often denoted by the letter "m" in linear equations:
y =mx + b
The slope can be positive, negative, zero, or undefined.
- Positive slope: A positive slope indicates that the line slants upwards from left to right. As the x-value increases, the y-value also increases.
- Negative slope: A negative slope indicates that the line slants downwards from left to right. As the x-value increases, the y-value decreases.
- Zero slope: A zero slope indicates that the line is horizontal. The y-value remains constant regardless of the x-value.
- Undefined slope: An undefined slope occurs when the line is vertical. The change in x is zero, resulting in an infinite ratio.