How do you find the slope of a line given the points #(2,2)# and #(5,8)# on the line?

2 Answers
May 24, 2017

#m = 6/3 =2#

Explanation:

Slope means the steepness or gradient of a line.

It can be described as the #" "("change in the y-values")/("change in the x-values")#

which is sometimes explained as #("rise")/("run")#

The formula is #m = (y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)#

The points are #(2,2)"# as #(x_1,y_1)" and " (5,8)# as #(x_2,y_2)#

# m = (8-2)/(5-2) = 6/3 = 2#

May 24, 2017

#m=2#

Explanation:

The slope formula determines a slope from two points.

It says that given two points #(x_1,y_1)# and #(x_2,y_2)#, you find the slope from:

#m=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)#

If we let #(2,2)=(x_1,y_1)# and #(5,8)=(x_2,y_2)#, then we can plug these values into the slope formula.

Note that it does not matter which of the two points you decide to be the "first" or the "second".

#m=(8-2)/(5-2)=6/3=2#