Slope Formula:
| From: | To: |
Slope is a measure of the steepness of a line, representing the rate of change between two points. It describes how much the y-value changes for each unit change in the x-value along a straight line.
The calculator uses the slope formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the ratio of the vertical change (rise) to the horizontal change (run) between two distinct points on a line.
Details: Slope is fundamental in mathematics, physics, engineering, and economics. It helps determine line equations, analyze trends, calculate rates of change, and understand linear relationships in data.
Tips: Enter the coordinates of two distinct points (x₁,y₁) and (x₂,y₂). The points must have different x-coordinates to calculate a defined slope. For vertical lines, the slope is undefined.
Q1: What does a positive slope indicate?
A: A positive slope indicates that the line rises from left to right, showing a positive relationship between x and y variables.
Q2: What does a negative slope indicate?
A: A negative slope indicates that the line falls from left to right, showing an inverse relationship between x and y variables.
Q3: What does a zero slope mean?
A: A zero slope indicates a horizontal line, where y-values remain constant regardless of x-values.
Q4: When is slope undefined?
A: Slope is undefined for vertical lines, where x₁ = x₂, resulting in division by zero in the slope formula.
Q5: How is slope used in real-world applications?
A: Slope is used in calculating gradients in civil engineering, determining velocity in physics, analyzing trends in economics, and finding rates of change in various scientific fields.