How do you find the slope given (2,-1) and (-6,-3)?

1 Answer
Apr 25, 2018

Slope #= 2/3#

Explanation:

In general given two points, #(x_1,y_1)# and #(x_2,y_2)#, the slope is the difference between the #y# coordinate values divided by the difference between the #x# coordinate values (taken in the same order).

That is
#color(white)("XXX")"slope"=(Deltay)/(Deltax)=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)#

For this example, if we use
#color(white)("XXX")(x_1,y_1)=(2,-1)# and
#color(white)("XXX")(x_2,y_2)=(-6,-3)#

We get
#color(white)("XXX")"slope"=((-3)-(-1))/((-6)-(-3))=(-2)/(-3)=2/3#