What is the slope of the line passing through the following points: # (-3, -1) ; (2,3)#?

1 Answer
Feb 29, 2016

#m = 4/5#

Explanation:

The slope of a line is generally its "rise over run". In this case, it is the number of units the line goes up or down over the distance it travels along the #x#-axis.

In this example, given the two points we would be able to compute for the slope of the line by assigning one point as #P_1# and the other as #P_2#. Now we subtract the #y#-component of #P_1# from #P_2# then divide it by the difference of the #x#-components of #P_2# and #P_1#. So this is the equation for finding the slope from two points:

#m = (y_2 - y_1)/(x_2 - x_1)#

Where m is the slope and #y_2# and #y_1# as the #y#-components and #x_2# and #x_1# as the #x#-components that I mentioned earlier.

Computing for the value of the slope...

[Solution]
let:
#P_1: (-3, -1)#
#P_2: (2,3)#

#m = (y_2 - y_1)/(x_2 - x_1)#

#m = (3 - (-1))/(2 - (-3))#
#m = (3+1)/(2+3)#
#m = 4/5#