The slope of a line is often called 'mm', and is defined as (rise)/(run)riserun: the amount a line 'rises' vertically (in the yy direction) for each unit it 'runs' horizontally (in the xx direction).
A line with a slope of 2 rises by 2 units for every unit it moves onward in xx, while a line with a slope of -3−3 falls by 3 units in yy for each unit in xx.
A formula for this is as follows:
m=(rise)/(run) = (y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)m=riserun=y2−y1x2−x1
We usually use the second point given to us in the question as (x_2,y_2)(x2,y2) and the first as (x_1,y_1)(x1,y1) but it doesn't matter : try the experiment for yourself of doing it the other way around, and see that you get the same answer for the slope.
In this case:
m = (y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1) = (5-(-2))/(-2-3) = 7/(-5) = -7/5m=y2−y1x2−x1=5−(−2)−2−3=7−5=−75
The slope of this line is -7/5−75.
