501 Geometry Questions

Finding Slope

Slope is represented by a ratio of height to length (the legs of a right tri-

angle), or rise to run. It is written as Δ

Δ

X

Y

, where ΔY is the change in vertical

distance, and ΔX is the change in horizontal distance.

The slope between (–3, 7) and (9, 4) can be calculated by plugging them
into the following formula:

slope =ΔΔXY = (

(

x

y 2

2

y

x

1

1

)

)

slope = ΔΔXY = (

(

x

y 2

2

y

x

1

1

)

)= (9

(4

• 
  
  
  
  • (–
  
  
  
  

7

3

)

))=  1

–3

2 = 

• 4

(^1) 
A slope of– 41 means that for every one unit down, the line move 4 units
to the right.
x-axis
y-axis
B A
D
C
Slope A is negative
Slope B is positive
Slope C is positive
Slope D is negative
Δx
Δx
Δx Δx
Δy Δy
Δy Δy
501 Geometry Questions