5.

1 Rate of Change and

Slope
Objective: SWBAT determine the
slope of a line given a graph or two
ordered pairs.

Quick Preview
The diagram at the right shows the
side view of a ski lift.
1. What is the vertical change from:
a. A to B?

10 feet

b. B to C?

40 feet

c. C to D?

10 feet

2. What is the horizontal change from:

a. A to B? 30 feet
b. B to C? 30 feet3. Find the ratio of the vertical change to the
horizontal change for each section of the ski
c. C to D 30 feet lift.
A 1
B
4 C
1
= ;
= ;
=
B 3 C 3 D 3
4. Which section is the steepest? B to C

changeintheindepndentvarible

Rate of Change
Rate of change

What is the rate of change for the data

to the left?
change of dependent = $15
change of independent = 1 day
$15 = $15/day
1 day
What does the rate of change mean?
It cost $15 more to rent a computer
each day.

The Magnum
Cedar Point, OH

Superman
6 Flags Magic
Mountain

Ghost Rider
Knotts Berry Farm

Xcelerator
Knotts Berry Farm

How steep is the steepest roller coaster?

Son of Beast
Kings Island, OH

These are
completely
vertical!

Imagine a roller coaster

moving from LEFT to RIGHT

There are four different

kinds of slope the coaster
could encounter...

l
l
i
h
p
U

Positive
Slope

Negative
Slope
Do
l
hil
wn

And 2 Special Cases

The zero-fun
coaster

The
impossibly
scary
coaster
What
kind of
slope are
they?

Horizontal
Aw!
Thats
zero fun!

Zero
Slope

Vertical

Thats a really
scary coaster,
so the slope
is

Undefined
Slope

For the following slides,

call out whether the slope is
positive, negative, zero, or
undefined.

Wait for the count of

before you say your answer!

ne
g

ati
v

si
ti
ve

po

1
3

zero

3
2

undefined

How do you calculate the slope

of a line?
There are 3 steps:

1. Pick two points on the line

2. Calculate rise over run
3. Determine the sign

Start
Step
1

with 2 points on
gridline intersections

OK (2, 3)

Not OK
OK (1, 1)
Not OK
OK (0, -1)
Not OK
OK (-1, -3)

Step 2

How do you calculate the

slope of a line?

m =
Slope

OR...

Vertical change
divided by

Horizontal change

Rise
m = divided by
Slope
Run

Run
Rise

Step 3

What sign is it?

Show me!

Look to see if the slope is

increasing
Positive
Or decreasing
Negative

Model # 1: Watch me do the

Step 1: Choose
2
points
three steps
Step 2:

by

Run = 1

Rise = 2
Step 3:
Determine
the sign

p os
itiv
e

Rise
Slope =
divided
Run

Rise
2+
m = 2by
divided
Run
1

Model # 2: Watch me do the

Step 1: Choose
2
points
three steps
Step 2:

Rise
Slope =
divided
Run

by

Run = 3

neg
a

Step 3:
Determine
the sign

tive

Rise = 1
Rise
1
m = 1/3
divided
by
Run
3

Practice # 3: Find the slope of this line

Think Pair Share
Run = 2
Rise = 3

Step 1: Choose Two points

Step 2: Rise Over Run
Step 3: Determine Sign

Rise
divided
Run by

+3

Practice # 4: Find the slope of this line

Think Pair Shar

neg
ativ
e

Run = 3

Rise
divided
Run by

Step 1: Choose Two points

Step 2: Rise Over Run
Step 3: Determine Sign

Rise = 1

1
m
3

y
2
1
m
xx24(35)59
Slope Formula

x1

y1

x2 y2

5. Given (5, -3) and (-4, 2), find

the slope of the line.

m=

y
2
1
m
xx24(02)040
Slope Formula

x1

y1

x2 y2

6. Given (0, -2) and (4, -2), find

the slope of the line.

m=

Tell your partner...

What are the steps to find the slope of
a line from a graph?

Calculate
rise over run.

Look at the
line to see if
the slope is
positive or
negative.

Wrap Up

y
2
1
m
xx

Rate of Change (includes units)

Slope rise

run

Positive
Negative
Zero
Undefined

HW: P. 234 #1-29 odd, 75-85 odd

DLUQ: Whats the difference between slope
and rate of change?

Before you leave:

1. What type of slope is shown? (Positive, negative,
zero or undefined?)

2. What would a slope of -1/2 look like? (Uphill,

downhill, steep, shallow)
3. What is the slope of the line above?