What is the slope of a line y=2?

1 Answer
Apr 11, 2015

#y=2# is a vertical line equation so the slope is #0#

One way to think about this is to remember the secant (slope between two points on a line) is given by
#m = (Delta y)/(Delta x)#
where #Delta y# means the change in #y# (for some change in #x#, i.e. #Delta x#).
Since #y# is a constant, the change in #y# (#Delta y#) is always going to be #0#.

Another way is to consider the slope-intercept equation for a straight line:
#y = mx + b#
Written in this form #m# is the slope (and #b# is the y-intercept)
#y=2#
is equivalent to #y= (0)x +2#
So the slope is #m=0#
(and the y-intercept is #y=2#).