To find the slope of a line, you can use the formula:
\[ \text{slope} (m) = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \]
where \((x_1, y_1)\) and \((x_2, y_2)\) are two points on the line.
Steps to Find the Slope:
-
Identify Two Points on the Line: For example, let's use the points \((x_1, y_1)\) and \((x_2, y_2)\).
-
Subtract the y-coordinates: Calculate \(y_2 - y_1\).
-
Subtract the x-coordinates: Calculate \(x_2 - x_1\).
-
Divide the Differences: Divide the result from step 2 by the result from step 3 to find the slope \(m\).
Example:
Let’s find the slope of the line that passes through the points \((1, 2)\) and \((3, 4)\):
-
Identify the points: \((x_1, y_1) = (1, 2)\) and \((x_2, y_2) = (3, 4)\).
-
Calculate \(y_2 - y_1\): \[ 4 - 2 = 2 \]
-
Calculate \(x_2 - x_1\): \[ 3 - 1 = 2 \]
-
Divide the differences: \[ m = \frac{2}{2} = 1 \]
So, the slope of the line is \(1\).