To find the slope, we can use the formula for the slope between two points, which is given by:
\[ \text{slope} = \frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x} = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \]
Using the points \((0, 500)\) and \((2, 495)\):
\[ \Delta y = 495 - 500 = -5 \] \[ \Delta x = 2 - 0 = 2 \]
So, the slope is:
\[ \text{slope} = \frac{-5}{2} \]
This means that for every 2 seconds that pass, the number of pages in the copy machine decreases by 5 pages.
To interpret the slope in the context of the situation, we note that:
- The slope is \(-5\) pages in the copy machine every 2 seconds.
However, to find the rate per second, we can divide by 2:
\[ \frac{-5 \text{ pages}}{2 \text{ seconds}} = -2.5 \text{ pages per second} \]
Since the interpretations provided are in whole numbers and can be directly derived from the slope over the interval, the response that corresponds with the slope is:
The slope is −5 pages in the copy machine every 2 seconds.
This captures the rate at which the pages are decreasing in the machine based on the data provided.