How do you find the slope of (-4,0) and (1,-5)?

Question

7098 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2015-08-21T11:47:40

#m = -1#

First, take a look at how the slope of a line that passes through two points of coordinates #(x_1","y_1)# and #(x_2","y_2)# is defined

#color(blue)("slope" = m = ((y_2 - y_1))/((x_2 - x_1)))#

All you have to do from this point forward is idenify the coordinates of the two points given to you.

The two point are #(-4,0)# and #(1,-5)#, which means that you have

#{(x_1 = -4), (y_1 = 0) :}" "# and #" "{(x_2 = 1), (y_2 = -5) :}#

Plug these values into the formula for the slope of the line to get

#m = ((-5 - 0))/((1 - (-4))) = ((-5))/(5) = color(green)(-1)#