Why should we learn this?

One real-world connection is

The Slope of a Line to find the rate of change in
an airplane’s altitude.
Objectives: To find slope of a line
given two points, and to graph a line
using the slope and the y-intercept.

VOCABULARY Rate of Change and Slope

For the data in the table, is the rate of change the same for each pair of
Rate – a comparison of two quantities Fee for Miles Driven
consecutive mileage amounts?
measured in different units Miles Fee
100 $30
Rate of change – allows you to see the 150 $42
relationship between two changing 200 $54
quantities 250 $66

change in cost Cost depends on the

RATE OF CHANGE FORMULA: rate of change = change in number of miles number of miles.
change in dependent variable 42 – 30
=
12 54 – 42
=
12 66 – 54
=
12
150–100 50 200–150 50 200–250 50
change in independent variable The rate of change for each pair of consecutive mileage
amounts is $12 per 50 miles. The rate of change is the same
for all the data.

Rate of Change and Slope Rate of Change and Slope

(continued)
Below is a graph of the distance traveled by a motorcycle
from its starting point. Find the rate of change. Explain what this rate of
Using the points (0,0) and (20, 400), find the rate of change.
change means.
rate of change = vertical change change in distance
horizontal change change in time
Choose two points
400 – 0 Use two points.
On the graph (0,0) and =
20 – 0
(20, 400) 400 Divide the vertical change by
= the horizontal change.
20
= 20 Simplify.

The rate of change is 20 m/s.

The motorcycle is traveling 20 meters each
second.

1
 More Vocabulary Rate of Change and Slope
Find the slope of each line.
rise
a. slope =
SLOPE -- vertical change run

horizontal change =
4–1
0–2

3
=
–2
A.K.A. “rise over run”
=–3
RISE 2

RUN The slope of the line is – 3 .

2

6-1

Rate of Change and Slope

(continued)
“rise over run”
rise
b. Find the slope of the line. slope =
run For positive slope, rise up and run
=
–1 – 1 right…or move down and to the left.
–2 – (–2)

= –2
–1 For negative slope, move down and to
= 2 the right or up and to the left.
The slope of the line is 2.

Finding slope when REMEMBER

given a graph of a line.
1. Locate two points on the line. If a line SLANTS UPWARD from left to
right, it has a POSITIVE slope. /
2. Count straight up or down from one
point until you’re “even” with the other
point. (This is your rise.) If a line SLANTS DOWNWARD from left
3. Count across left or right until you get to right, it has a NEGATIVE slope. \
to the second point. (This is your run.)
4. Simplify this fraction, if needed.

2
 FORMULA Rate of Change and Slope
Find the slope of the line through E(3, –2) and F(–2, –1).

SLOPE FORMULA -- y2 – y1 y2 – y1
slope = x2 – x1
x2 – x1 –1 – (–2)
= Substitute (–2, –1) for (x2, y2) and
–2 – 3
(where x2 – x1 does not equal 0.) (3, –2) for (x1, y1).
1
= –5 Simplify.

= – 15
Symbol for slope = m.
The slope of EF is – 1 .
5

Find the slope of the line

Find the slope of the line
through each pair of points.
through each pair of points.
SOLUTION: Use the Slope formula.
a) (2,5) and (4,7) c) (a,b) & (c,d) a) (2,5) and (4,7) c) (a,b) & (c,d)
7−5 2 d −b
m= = =1 m=
4−2 2 c−a
b) (-1,4) & (3,2) b) (-1,4) & (3,2)
2 − 4 −2 −1
m= = =
3 − −1 4 2

Rate of Change and Slope Rate of Change and Slope

Find the slope of each line. (continued)

a. y2 – y1 y –y
slope = x2 – x1 b. Find the slope of the line. slope = x2 – x1
2 1

2–2 Substitute (1, 2) for

= Substitute (2, 1) for
1 – (–4) (x2, y2) and (–4, 2) 1 – (–4) (x2, y2) and (2, –4)
=
2–2 for (x1, y1).
for (x1, y1).
= 0 Simplify.
5
= 5 Simplify.
0
= 0
Division by zero is undefined.
The slope of the horizontal line is 0.
The slope of the vertical line in undefined.

3
 Special Lines Find the slope.
The slope of a horizontal line is zero.
y = -5 x=3
Equation is y = b. (No “x” in equation.)
The slope of a vertical line is undefined.
Equation is x = a. (No “y” in equation.)
y=5 y
x = -2 y
10 10

x x

-10 -10
-10 10 -10 10

Find the slope. Graphing a Line using the

Solution y-intercept and Slope
y = -5 x= 3 Reminder: The y-intercept is the point
Since there is no x Since there is no y in where a line crosses the y-axis.
in the equation, this the equation, this is STEPS
is a horizontal line. a vertical line. The 1. Plot the y-intercept. (referred to as “b”)
The slope of a slope of a vertical 2. Use the slope and move rise/run to plot
horizontal is zero. line is undefined. at least two more points.
So m = 0. So m = undefined. 3. Graph the line.

Example -- Graph the line given Example -- Graph the line given
the slope and y-intercept. the slope and y-intercept.
y-intercept = -3, m = -1/2 y-intercept = -3, m = -1/2
y y
5 5

1. Plot the y-intercept, (0,-3).

x
2. From this point, use x

m = -1/2 and rise/run to

get additional points.
3. Graph the line.
-5 -5
-5 5 -5 5

4
Example -- Graph the line given Example -- Graph the line given
the slope and y-intercept. the slope and y-intercept.
y-intercept = 2, m = 2/3 y-intercept = 2, m = 2/3
y y
5 5

1. Plot the y-intercept, (0,2).

x
2. From this point, use x

m = 2/3 and rise/run to

get additional points.
3. Graph the line.
-5 -5
-5 5 -5 5

Example -- Graph the line given Example -- Graph the line given
the slope and y-intercept. the slope and y-intercept.
y-intercept = 0, m = -1 y-intercept = 0, m = -1
1. Plot the y-intercept, (0,0).
y y
5 5

2. From this point, use

x
m = -1/1 and rise/run to x

get additional points.

3. Graph the line.
-5 -5
-5 5 -5 5

SUMMARY
The slope of a line represents the rate
of change in the x and y values.
The slope formula is y2 – y1
x2 – x1