Slope of a Line

Slope basically describes the

steepness of a line
 If a line goes up from left to right, then
the slope has to be positive
Conversely, if a line goes down from left
to right, then the slope has to be negative
 Definitions of Slope

Slope is simply the change in the

vertical distance over the change in
the horizontal distance

rise y y2  y1
slope  m   
run x x2  x1
 y2  y1
m
x2  x1

The formula above is the one which we

will use to find the slope of specific lines
In order to use that formula we need to
know, or be able to find 2 points on the
line
If a line is in the form Ax + By = C,
we can use the following formula to
find the slope:

A
m
B
 Examples

  1,4 ,  5,6 2x  3y  5
64 2
m m
5    1 3
2 1
m 
6 3
 Horizontal lines have a slope of zero
while vertical lines have no slope

m=0
Vertical Horizontal
x= m = no y=
slope
The World Of Linear
Equations

Writing Linear Equations

In Slope-Intercept Form
y = mx + b
 If you are given:
The slope and y-intercept

 Finding the equation of

the line in y= mx + b  Slope = ½ and
form. Given: slope
and y-intercept. Just
 y-intercept = -3
substitute the “m” with
the slope value and the
“b” with the y-intercept
value.
y= mx + b

y= ½x – 3
If you are given: A Graph
Find the:
 y – intercept = b = the point
where the line crosses the y
axis.
rise change in y' s
 Slope = run = m =
change in x' s
 y – intercept = b = -3
 Slope = up 1 =m= ½
½
over 2
y= mx + b

y= ½x – 3
 If you are given:
The slope and a point
 ½and point (4,-1)
Slope =½ 4 -1
 Given: slope (m)
and a point (x,y). y  y1  m(x  x1 )
To write equations
given the slope and a
y    1  1  x  4 
2
point using Point- y  1  1  x  4
Slope Form. 2

Point-Slope Form y  1  1 x 2
2
y  y1  m(x  x1 ) -1 -1

y= ½x – 3
 If you are given:
Two points
 Finding the equation Find the: rise change in y' s
of the line in y= mx +  Slope = = m = change in x' s
b form. Given: Two run
points. First find the  2    4    2  4 
2 1

slope (m) and then 2    2 22 4 2
substitute one of the
½ 2 -2
Slope =½ and point (2, -2)


points x and y values

into Point-Slope Form. y  y1  m(x  x1 )
y    2  1  x  2
Point-Slope Form 2
y  y1  m(x  x1 )
Point (-2, -4) & Point (2, -2) y  2  1 x 1
2
-2 -2

y= ½x – 3
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