Understanding the Slope
OBJECTIVE: To understand the concept of the slope
Observe that when you graph straight lines, the lines slant in different directions. The measure of this slant is called the slope, usually expressed as a ratio of two numbers: change in y/change in x. A common mnemonic to remember this relationship is rise/run.
This applet dynamically illustrates the concept of the slope.
Use the slider to learn about the slope.
Grab one of the points and rotate it to complete a full circle. Observe the changes in the value of the fraction as well as the sign.
QUESTION 1: How does the value of the slope change in relation to the slant?
QUESTION 2: How does the sign of the slope change in relation to the slant?