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Find the slope of the line that and passes through the following points. Simplify your answer

Find the slope of the line that and passes through the following points. Simplify-example-1
User Jisang Yoo
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1 Answer

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We can calculate the slope of a line knowing two of the points of the line as:


m=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)

In this case, we have x1 = x2. Then the slope m would result in a quotient with denominator 0, as (x2 - x1) = 0.


m=(2-(-4))/(-4-(-4))=(6)/(0)=\text{undefined}

In this case, the only line that passes through (-4,-4) and (-4,2) is a vertical line with equation x = -4.

Vertical lines have undefined slope (they are not even function like f(x), as they have multiple values of y for the same value of x).

Then, as the slope is the rate of change of y for a unit change in x, is undefined for vertical lines.

Answer: undefined.

User Thedayofcondor
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