Question

What is the slope of a line that passes through the point (−1, 1) and is parallel to a line that passes through (3, 6) and (1, −2)?

Answer 1

Your slope is `(-8)/-2 = 4`.

Explanation:

Slopes of parallel lines are the same as they have the same rise and run on a graph. The slope can found using

`"slope" = (y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)`.

Therefore, if we put in the numbers of the line parallel to the original we get

`"slope" = (-2 - 6)/(1-3)`

This then simplifies to `(-8)/(-2)`. Your rise or the amount it goes up by is `-8` and your run or the amount it goes right by is `-2`.