Algebra 1 : How to find slope of a line

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Algebra 1

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Example Questions

Example Question #51 : How To Find Slope Of A Line

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points: 

\displaystyle (7, -1) and \displaystyle (10, 11)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 4

\displaystyle \frac{1}4

\displaystyle 8

\displaystyle -4

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 4

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{11-(-1)}{10-7}

Remember that subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{11+1}{10-7}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{12}{3}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=4

 

Example Question #51 : How To Find Slope Of A Line

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points:

\displaystyle (-4, 1) and \displaystyle (5, 4)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle -3

\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}

\displaystyle -\frac{1}{3}

\displaystyle 3

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{4-1}{5-(-4)}

Remember that subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{4-1}{5+4}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{3}{9}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{1}{3}

Example Question #212 : Equations Of Lines

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points:

\displaystyle (4, 4) and \displaystyle (5, 4)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{8}{9}

\displaystyle \text{Undefined}

\displaystyle \frac{1}{8}

\displaystyle 0

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{4-4}{5-4}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{0}{1}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=0

 

Example Question #121 : Slope And Line Equations

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points: 

\displaystyle (0, 0) and \displaystyle (12, 12)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle -1

\displaystyle 1

\displaystyle 12

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{12-0}{12-0}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{12}{12}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=1

 

Example Question #3741 : Algebra 1

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points: 

\displaystyle (5, 10) and \displaystyle (0, -5)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle -\frac{1}{3}

\displaystyle -3

\displaystyle 3

\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 3

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{-5-10}{0-5}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{-15}{-5}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=3

Example Question #51 : How To Find Slope Of A Line

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points: 

\displaystyle (12, 9) and \displaystyle (-4, -6)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{15}{16}

\displaystyle \frac{16}{15}

\displaystyle -\frac{15}{16}

\displaystyle -\frac{16}{15}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{15}{16}

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{-6-9}{-4-12}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{-15}{-16}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{15}{16}

Example Question #461 : Functions And Lines

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points: 

\displaystyle (-1, -2) and \displaystyle (-4, -3)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 3

\displaystyle -2

\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}

\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{-3-(-2)}{-4-(-1)}

Remember that subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{-3+2}{-4+1}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{-1}{-3}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{1}{3}

 

Example Question #461 : Functions And Lines

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points: 

\displaystyle (7, 7) and \displaystyle (11, 7)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{2}{7}

\displaystyle -4

\displaystyle \text{Undefined}

\displaystyle 0

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{7-7}{11-7}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{0}{4}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=0

Example Question #124 : Slope And Line Equations

Find the slope of the line that passes through the following points: 

\displaystyle (8, -4) and \displaystyle (8, 0)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{3}{2}

\displaystyle \text{Undefined}

\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}

\displaystyle 0

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \text{Undefined}

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{0-(-4)}{8-8}

Remember that subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{0+4}{8-8}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{4}{0}

Since you cannot divide by \displaystyle 0, the slope of vertical lines are always undefined.

Example Question #463 : Functions And Lines

Find the slope of the line with that passes through the following points: 

\displaystyle (-2, -4) and \displaystyle (10, 8)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 4

\displaystyle 2

\displaystyle -1

\displaystyle 1

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1

Explanation:

Use the following formula to find the slope:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}

Remember that points are written in the following format:

\displaystyle (x,y)

Substitute using the given points:

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{8-(-4)}{10-(-2)}

Remember that subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{8+4}{10+2}

Simplify.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=\frac{12}{12}

Reduce.

\displaystyle \text{Slope}=1

 

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