How do you find the slope of a line segment connecting points (-3,4) & (7,-16)?

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Answer 1 · 2016-05-11T04:54:56

The slope $= - 2$ $= -2$

The coordinates are:
$(- 3, 4) = x_{1}, y_{1}$ $( - 3 , 4 ) = color(blue)(x_ 1 , y _ 1$

$(7, - 16) = x_{2}, y_{2}$ $( 7 , -16 ) = color(blue)(x_ 2 , y _2$

The slope is calculated using formula:
Slope $= \frac{y_{2} - y_{1}}{x_{2} - x_{1}}$ $= color(blue)((y_2 - y_1) / (x_2 - x_1)$

$= \frac{- 16 - 4}{7 - (- 3)}$ $= ( -16 - 4 ) / ( 7 - (-3))$

$= \frac{- 20}{7 + 3}$ $= ( -20) / ( 7 + 3 )$

$= \frac{- 20}{10}$ $= ( -20) / 10$

$= -cancel20 / cancel10$

The slope $= -2$