The Algebra Teacher\'s Guide to Reteaching Essential Concepts and Skills

Name Date

WORKSHEET 4.8: USING EQUATIONS TO FIND THE SLOPES OF

LINES

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Use the guidelines below to find the slopes of different kinds of lines:

Horizontal lines↔

• Theslopeisequalto0.


• The equation isy=b
  wherebis they-intercept.


• Ally-coordinates are the
  same.


• The graph is parallel to the
  x-axis.

Vertical lines

• There is no slope.


• The equation isx=k
  wherekis a constant.


• Allx-coordinates are
  the same.


• The graph is parallel to
  they-axis.

Lines that are neither

horizontal nor vertical

• The equation is
  y=mx+bwhere
  m=slope and
  b=y-intercept.

DIRECTIONS: Find the slope of the line, if it exists.

1. y= 2 x+ 7 2. x= 6


2. y= 4 4.y− 3 = 10

5.x+y= 4 6.x+ 3 = 0

7. 2 x+y= 15 8.x=y

CHALLENGE:The graph of the equationy=6hasay-intercept that is equal

to 6. Write another equation of a line whose graph has ay-intercept that is

equal to 6.

153

Copyright

©

2011 by Judith A. Muschla, Gary Robert Muschla, and Erin Muschla. All rights reserved.