Lesson 20

Slope
 Slope

Slope is a term that

describes the steepness of a
line.

The line has a positive

slope.
Finding the slope of a line
Slope is defined as the rise
of the line over the run of
the line. rise
Slope = run
Between two points on
the graph the rise was
3 and the run was 2.
Slope = 3/2
When you go up the rise is
positive, when you go
down the rise is negative.
When you run to the right it
is positive and when you
run to the left that is
negative.
When finding the slope it
helps to pick an integer
value to start from. Try to
pick a point that falls on
two integers, (0,5) , and
try to avoid picking points
that do not, (1.4, 4.2) It
will make finding the
slope much easier.

Start with the point (0,5)

and see how you get to the
Two get from one point to the
point (2,4)
other we went down 1 and right
two; thus our slope is -1/2
 Types of Slope

This line has a positive

slope

This line This line has zero

has slope
undefined
This line has a slope
negative slope
Undefined Slope
Why does a vertical line has
undefined slope??
Slope = rise/run
A vertical line will rise but it does not run
any, thus run = 0.
Slope of a vertical line = rise / 0
Remember you cannot divide by zero, that
gives you an undefined statement. Thus the
slope of a vertical line is undefined.
Slope of a vertical line = undefined
Zero Slope
Well then why does a horizontal
line have a slope of zero?

Slope = rise / run

A horizontal line does not rise at all, thus rise = 0.
Slope = 0/run ; whenever you have a zero on top of
a fraction that fraction always equals zero. So the
slope of a horizontal line will always equal zero.
Slope of a horizontal line = 0
Try These
What kind of slope does each line
have?

next slide for answer…

Try These
What kind of slope does each line
have? negative
undefined negative

zero

positive
Try This – What is the slope of
the line??
 Try This – What is the slope of
the line??
This line is
Down 3 going down
Right 4 towards the
right, so it has
a negative
rise / run slope. Notice
our slope was
–3/4 , a
negative
-3/4
slope.
Slope of –3/4
Slope-Intercept Form
y = mx + b
This is called slope
intercept form.
M is the variable for slope
B is the variable for y-intercept

We need to be able to look at a

graph and write the equation of the
line. There are two steps to this
process. You have to find M and B.
Slope-Intercept Form
y = mx + b
STEP 1) Find B - remember B is
your y-intercept.
Where does the graph cross the y-
axis??
It crosses at y = 5, thus 5 is your y-
intercept. B = 5
STEP 2) Find the slope.
Down 3, Right 4. Slope is –3/4
M = -3/4
y-intercept equals 5 so B = 5
slope equals –3/4 so M = -3/4
Now substitute those values into the
equation.
y = mx +b now becomes y = (-3/4)x + 5
Slope-Intercept Form
y = mx + b
m = slope
b = y-intercept

To write the equation of the line by

looking at the graph first find b (y-
intercept) and second find m (slope)
After you have found b and m,
substitute the values into the equation y
= mx + b