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Slope

Pre-algebra Topics Video Links & Practice Space

Welcome to your Toolbox Watch this video first!

Vocabulary Toolbox Tutor: Vocabulary Review (0:38)

1. Slope: the rise of the change in the

vertical direction (y direction) to change in
the horizontal direction (x direction), often
expressed as the change in y divided by
the run change in x.

Toolbox Tutor: What is slope? (1:08)

Finding the slope of a given graph

The slope of a line is a measure of its

steepness.

In other words, it describes how steep a line is.

To find the slope of a liner relationship using a

graph, count the rise (vertical change in y) and
the run (horizontal change in x) between two
points and set up the ratio:

rise( c h ange∈ y )
slope = run (c h ange∈ x)

FLVS Toolbox | Slope - Page 1

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Toolbox Tutor: Types of slope

Types of Slope
Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 1 (1:09)

● Positive Slope What type of slope do you see in the graph below?

A line has a positive slope if the y-values How do you know?

increase as the x-values increase.

The graph will increase, or go upwards from

left to right.

● Negative Slope

A line has a negative slope if the y-values

decrease as the x-values increase.
_________________________________________
The graph will decrease, or go downwards
_________________________________________
from left to right.
_________________________________________

Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 2 (1:18)

● Zero Slope
What type of slope do you see in the graph below?
A line has a slope of zero if the y-value stays the
same as the x-values change. How do you know?

The graph will be a horizontal line because

there is no rise or change in y-values.

● Undefined Slope

A line has an undefined slope if the x-value

stays the same as the y-values change.
_________________________________________
The graph will be a vertical line because there
is no run or change in x-values. _________________________________________

_________________________________________

FLVS Toolbox | Slope - Page 2

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Toolbox Tutor: Finding Slope - Given a Graph

Steps for Finding the Slope of a Line:
Given a Graph Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 3 (1:39)
What is the slope of the line below?
● Step 1: Choose two points on the line. By Show your work. (0, 2) (2, 8)
points we mean two (x, y) coordinate
pairs.

● Step 2: Start with the point farthest to the

left. Count up (or down) to find the vertical
distance (the rise) between the points.

● Step 3: Start again with the point farthest

to the left. Count right to find the _________________________________________
horizontal distance (the run) between the _________________________________________
points.
_________________________________________

Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 4 (2:05)

● Step 4: Divide the vertical distance by What is the slope of the line below?
the horizontal distance to find the slope. Show your work. (0, 3) (3, - 9)
We use the below ratio:

rise(c h ange ∈ y )
slope = run(c h ange i n x)

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 5 (1:44)

Steps for Finding the Slope of a Line:

FLVS Toolbox | Slope - Page 3

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What is the slope of the line below?

Given a Graph (continued) Show your work. (0, 5) (5, 5)

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 6 (2:08)

What is the slope of the line below?
Show your work. (1, 0) (1, 4)

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Toolbox Tutor: Finding Slope - Given Two Points

Steps for Finding the Slope of a Line:
Given Two Points Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 7 (4:23)

FLVS Toolbox | Slope - Page 4

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Determine the slope of the line that contains the

A line doesn't have to be represented with a points: (3, -9) and (6, 12). Show your work.
graph. The relationship can also be described
using two points. For example, a line goes
through the points (0, 4) and (1, 5).

There is a formula you can use to find the slope

using the two points. The formula calculates the
vertical change by subtracting the y-values of
the two points and the horizontal change by
subtracting the x-values of the two points

The Slope Formula

If (x 1 , y 1 )∧( x 2 , y 2) are two points on a line, then

the slope of the line can be found use the
following formula: _________________________________________
Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 8 (4:07)
y 2− y 1
Slope = m = x −x Determine the slope of the line that contains the
2 1 −5
points: (2, 2) and (1, ). Show your work.
2
Using the Slope Formula

● Step 1: label one of the points (x 1 , y 1 )and

the other point (x 2 , y 2 )

● Step 2: substitute the corresponding

values into the formula

y 2− y 1
m = x −x
2 1

Toolbox Tutor: Finding Slope - Given a Table

Steps for Finding the Slope of a Line:
Given a Table
A linear relationship can be represented in a
Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 9 (3:20)
What is the slope of the table below?
Show your work.
FLVS Toolbox | Slope - Page 5
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table where one column contains the x-values

and another column contains the y-values.

The slope of the relationship can be found using

the values in the table to find the vertical and
horizontal change.

The vertical change (rise) is the constant change

in the y-values, while the horizontal change (run)
is the constant change in the x-values.

● Step 1: determine the change in the

output values, or y-values, and use this
as the rise value.
__________________________________________
Toolbox Tutor: Practice Problem 10 (4:30)
● Step 2: determine the change in the input
What is the slope of the table below?
values, or x-values, and use this as the
Show your work.
run value.

● Step 3: divide the change in output by the

change in the input values:

rise( c h ange∈ y )
run (c h ange∈ x)

Click the video link in the top right of this page to

see how we find the slope for the above table.

FLVS Toolbox | Slope - Page 6