What is the slope of (1, –5) and (4, 1)?

1 Answer
Jun 27, 2018

The slope is #2#.

Explanation:

Use the slope formula:

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

where:

#m# is the slope, and #(x_1,y_1)# and #(x_2,y_2)# are the two points. It doesn't matter which point you choose as #1# or #2#. You will get the same slope.

Point 1: #(1,-5)#

Point 2: #(4,1)#

#m=(1-(-5))/(4-1)#

#m=6/3#

#m=2#

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Point 1: #(4,1)#

Point 2: #(1,-5)#

#m=(-5-1)/(1-4)#

#m=(-6)/(-3)# #larr# Two negatives make a positive.

#m=2#