Question

How do you find the slope of the line through points (3,-17), (-5,3)?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

The slope can be found by using the formula: `m = (color(red)(y_2) - color(blue)(y_1))/(color(red)(x_2) - color(blue)(x_1))`

Where `m` is the slope and (`color(blue)(x_1, y_1)`) and (`color(red)(x_2, y_2)`) are the two points on the line.

Substituting the values from the points in the problem gives:

`m = (color(red)(3) - color(blue)(-17))/(color(red)(-5) - color(blue)(3)) = (color(red)(3) + color(blue)(17))/(color(red)(-5) - color(blue)(3)) = 20/-8 = -(4 xx 5)/(4 xx 2) = -(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(4))) xx 5)/(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(4))) xx 2) = -5/2`

Answer 2

-2.5

Explanation:

We know,the slope of any line follows the formula,`frac{y_2-y_1}(x_2-x_1` where x and y represent the `X` and `Y` coordinates of any point on the line.
Thus,the required slope is `frac{3-(-17)}(-5-3)` or`frac{-20}8` which comes out to be 2.5