Final answer:
The gradient of the line joining the points (-3, 3) and (-5, 11) is calculated using the slope formula, resulting in a gradient of -4.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the gradient of the line joining the points (-3, 3) and (-5, 11), we can use the slope formula. The slope (m) is defined as the change in the y-coordinate divided by the change in the x-coordinate between two points on a line. This is also known as 'rise over run'.
The formula to calculate the slope is m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1). To apply this formula to the given points, let's label them as follows: Point A (-3, 3) and Point B (-5, 11), where A represents (x1, y1) and B represents (x2, y2).
By plugging in the values, we get:
m = (11 - 3) / (-5 - (-3))
= (11 - 3) / (-5 + 3)
= (8) / (-2)
= -4.
Therefore, the gradient of the line is -4, meaning that for every 4 units the line goes down (negative slope), it goes 1 unit to the right.