Since we have a linear relationship between these variables, we can find the slope of these linear relationship using any combination of two points from the table. We can select the points:
x1 = 0, y1 = 50
x2 = 2, y2 = 40
(We can also can get x1 = 0, y1 = 50, and x2 = 4, y2 = 30, and we can get the same result).
The formula for the slope in a linear relationship is as follows:
![m=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/high-school/78uaqhwt0aws3qfwxigaftpihnmb1gzxtp.png)
And then, using the previous values (without using units):
![m=(40-50)/(2-0)\Rightarrow m=(-10)/(2)\Rightarrow m=-5](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/4t2bp8elgi04qbc54nxe9xf82hzoy2tdii.png)
Therefore, the slope for this linear relationship is negative (as far as time passes the water level is less and less), and the value for this is m = -5 ft per hr.