How do you find the slope of (5, -2), ( -16, 4)?

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Answer 1 · 2016-07-30T03:23:35

A slope is a ratio of the change in y divided by the change in x

First find the change in the $y$ $y$ value. Take

$4 - (- 2) = 6$ $4 - (-2) = 6$ as the change in $y$ $y$ .

Next find the change in the $x$ $x$ value. Take

$- 16 - 5 = - 21$ $-16 - 5 = -21$ as the change in $x$ $x$

Then divide the change in the $y$ $y$ value by the change in the $x$ $x$ value, so

$"slope" = (-21)/6 = (- 7 xx cancel(3))/(2 xx cancel(3))$

A factor of three can be divide out leaving a slope of

$"slope" = - 7/2$