Question

The gradient of a road is its slope expressed as percent. What is the slope of a road with a 7% gradient?

Answer 1

"Percent" or "%" means "out of 100" or "per 100", Therefore x% can be written as `x/100`.

Therefore: `7% = 7/100`

The slope is therefore: `m = 7/100`

Answer 2

There is a rise of only `7` units along a run of `100` units.

Explanation:

The gradient or slope of a road or a line is an indication of its steepness.

This is done by comparing the vertical change against the horizontal change., often expressed as `"rise"/"run"`.

By how much does the line rise for a given horizontal distance?

If the gradient is given as `7%`, which means the same as `7/100`, it would mean a rise of only `7` units along a run of `100`.

This would be a very gentle slope.