SOLUTION: What happens to the value obtained for the slope if the coordinates of the two ordered pairs aren't subtracted in the same order? Would you also be able to give me an example?

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Question 256399: What happens to the value obtained for the slope if the coordinates of the two ordered pairs aren't subtracted in the same order? Would you also be able to give me an example?
Thank you!
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The formula for the slope is:



And if I understand your question correctly, you are asking what would happen if you did the following calculation:



instead. The answer is to be found by considering the fact that for all real numbers and



Hence the error would cause the slope to have the incorrect sign. In other words:



On the other hand, if you are asking what happens if you do:



instead of



using the same principle, we can see that



Proving that it doesn't matter which you call Point 1 and which you call Point 2 so long as you remain consistent throughout.

John