SOLUTION: Why can't slope be written as a decimal or mixed number?

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Question 59144: Why can't slope be written as a decimal or mixed number?
Answer by funmath(2933) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Why can't slope be written as a decimal or mixed number?
It can be written as a decimal or mixed number, it's just not as useful that way.
slope=rise%2Frun When we write the slope as a fraction it is easier to know how high or low to rise up or down from each point on a line and how far to the right or left you need to run.
:
If you said m=2.5 you'd rise 2.5 and run 1.
If you said m=2 1/2 you'd rise 2 1/2 and run 1.
But if you said m=5/2 you'd rise 5 and run 2, it's easier to take whole steps than partial steps.
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Hope that clears things up.
Happy Calculating!!!