Question

What is the slope of (1, –5) and (4, 1)?

Answer 1

The slope is `2`.

Explanation:

Use the slope formula:

`m=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)`,

where:

`m` is the slope, and `(x_1,y_1)` and `(x_2,y_2)` are the two points. It doesn't matter which point you choose as `1` or `2`. You will get the same slope.

Point 1: `(1,-5)`

Point 2: `(4,1)`

`m=(1-(-5))/(4-1)`

`m=6/3`

`m=2`

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Point 1: `(4,1)`

Point 2: `(1,-5)`

`m=(-5-1)/(1-4)`

`m=(-6)/(-3)` `larr` Two negatives make a positive.

`m=2`