SOLUTION: how to find a slope ona graph when theres more than one coordinate

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Question 1101425: how to find a slope ona graph when theres more than one coordinate
Answer by math_helper(2461) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
It differs based on the TYPE of graph/function.

If the graph is that of a straight line, then 2 points are all you need. The letter m is often used to denote the slope of a straight line:
m = (y2-y1)/(x2-x1)
where (x1,y1) and (x2,y2) are the two points on the line.


For higher order lines (curves), you need to take the derivative of the function represented by the graph. The derivative is the slope of a tangent line to the curve at a given point.

For example, if y = x^2 then dy/dx = 2x. So the slope of a line tangent to x^2 at, say, x=3, is 2*3=6. The slope of the tangent line at, say, x=6, is 2*6=12 (in contrast to the straight line case, notice how the slope changes).