Question

A straight railway track passes through the coordinates (8, 3) and (12, 1). What is the

slope of the line for the path the track?
(2 points-1 point showing work, 1 point correct slope)

Answer 1

`-(1)/(2)`

Explanation:

Slope Formula

`\textsf{slope}\:(m)=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)`

Where (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂) are points on the line.

Given points:

• (x₁, y₁) = (8, 3)
• (x₂, y₂) = (12, 1)

Substitute the given points into the formula and solve for m:

`\implies \textsf{slope}\:(m)=(1-3)/(12-8)=(-2)/(4)=-(1)/(2)`

Therefore, the slope of the line for the path of the track is -¹/₂.