Question

Which expression can be simplified to find the slope of the trend line in the scatterplot?

On a coordinate plane, a line goes through points (2, 79) and (12, 24).
StartFraction 24 minus 79 Over 12 minus 2 EndFraction
StartFraction 24 + 79 Over 12 + 2 EndFraction
StartFraction 24 minus 79 Over 2 minus 12 EndFraction
StartFraction 24 minus 79 Over 12 + 2 EndFraction

Answer 1

To find the slope of the trend line between two points (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂), the formula for the slope (m) is given by:

\[
m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1}
\]

In the given points (2, 79) and (12, 24), we can identify:

- \(x_1 = 2\), \(y_1 = 79\)
- \(x_2 = 12\), \(y_2 = 24\)

Plugging these into the slope formula gives:

\[
m = \frac{24 - 79}{12 - 2}
\]

So, the correct expression to find the slope is:

\[
\frac{24 - 79}{12 - 2}
\]

From your options, the correct choice is:

**StartFraction 24 minus 79 Over 12 minus 2 EndFraction**