Slope: What It Is and How to Find It

Slope

What It Is and How to Find It

What is slope?

• Slope is the steepness of a line that is graphed on a coordinate grid.

• It is a value we can get from examining how one point connects to another.

• We use the letter m to represent slope.

One way to remember...

• Positive slope looks like it's going uphill (from left to right).

• Negative slope looks like it's going downhill (from left to right).

• Zero slope is a flat line.

• Undefined slope is straight upwards; walking up it would be impossible.

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Multiple Choice

Identify the slope as positive, negative, zero, or undefined.

• positive

• negative

• zero

• undefined

Finding the Value of Slope

• Slope is found by finding the change in y and dividing it by the change in x.

• We often use the phrase "rise (up/down) over run (left/right)."

• You choose any two points on the line and follow the formula pictured, OR you can just count on the graph itself.

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Multiple Choice

Our points are (0, 0) and (2, 1). What is the rise/run?

• 1/2

• 2/1

Multiple Choice

Does this line have a positive slope (uphill) or a negative slope (downhill)?

• positive

• negative

Multiple Choice

The slope (m) of this line is..

• m = 1/2

• m = -1/2

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Multiple Choice

Our points are (-4, 1) and (-2, -1). What is the rise/run?

• 2/2 = 1

• 2/2 = 2

Multiple Choice

Does this line have a positive slope (uphill) or a negative slope (downhill)?

• positive

• negative

Multiple Choice

The slope (m) of this line is..

• m = 1

• m = -1

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Multiple Choice

The slope (m) of this line is..

• m = 1/2

• m = -1/2

Multiple Choice

The slope (m) of this line is..

• m = -4/5

• m = -5/4

• m = 4/5

• m = 5/4

Multiple Choice

The slope (m) of this line is..

• m = undefined

• m = 2/3

• m = 0

• m = -2/3

Multiple Choice

The slope (m) of this line is..

• m = 0

• m = 5/2

• m = undefined

• m = -2/5

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Open Ended

Describe the process for finding slope. Write as much as you remember.

Poll

How do you feel about finding slope?

• Great! I understand it completely.

• Good. I get it for the most part.

• Meh. I feel like I'm missing something.

• Bad. I don't understand anything about it.