How To Find the Slope Of a Line

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Whether you're doing your math homework or trying to figure out how steep a mountain is, the slope of a line is simple to calculate and has many practical uses.

To complete this How-To you will need:

Graph paper
A pencil
Basic math skills

Step 1: Graph the line whose slope you are measuring

Use graph paper to graph the line whose slope you are measuring. Draw the line on standard x-and y-axis.

Step 2: Select two points on the line

Select two points on the line. Calculate where each point falls on the x- and y-axis to determine the exact points.

Tip: Write these points as ordered pairs -- two numbers inside parentheses. First the x point, and then the y.

Step 3: Subtract the y-axis locations of the two points

Subtract the y-axis location of the first point from the y-axis location of the second point. The difference is called the "rise."

Step 4: Subtract the x-axis locations of the two points

Subtract the x-axis location of the first point from the x-axis location of the second point. This difference is called the "run."

Tip: Pay attention to negative and positive numbers. A negative slope means the line travels downward, while a positive slope means it rises.

Step 5: Divide the rise by the run to find the slope

Divide the rise in the y-axis by the run in the x-axis to find the slope of your line, an exact measurement of just how steep it is.

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[yuenator]

lol im on youtube right now avoiding my math homework... that worked

[shutupxandxdance]

@patten08 If you're an adult and you spend time graphing line slopes you should watch the movie called "Forty Year Old Virgin."

[SoulReaperRX]

Man this helped me so freaking much, thank you!!!

[doomfan12345]

I learned it was the second x minus the first x over the second y minus the first y, by theway kick a music 

[runfll5]

U are a god

[XoXoButterflyoXoX]

hahah im in grade 10 and i still dont get this shit. failure.

[Dustin2010james]

Rise over run. How high it goes over how far it goes. lets say it goes up 4 over 2. 4/2, simplify to 2/1. Slope = 2.

[619Rey6]

This kept getting reccomended to me...scaring

[rvcxperez]

@patten08 dude...im a seventh grader and i know how to do this.....

[NICKGFO0]

@patten08 wtf . that was dumb

[WixnotxProduct]

@patten08 Wow your not cool saying that was way out of line