Math Dictionary / Slope
Slope
Slope measures how steep a line is: the change in y divided by the change in x.
AlgebraGrade 8Algebra 1GEDSATACT
What it means
It is often described as rise over run.
Also called: rate of change, rise over run
Examples
| If rise = 6 and run = 3, slope = 2 |
| A horizontal line has slope 0 |
| A vertical line has undefined slope |
Common mistake
Use change in y over change in x, not x over y.
Try one
Question: What is the slope from (1, 2) to (4, 8)?
Show answer
Slope = (8 – 2) / (4 – 1) = 6/3 = 2.