Negative Slope

In mathematics, the slope of a line is a measure of its steepness. A negative slope indicates that the line is decreasing from left to right. In other words, as you move from left to right along the line, the y-values decrease.

How to Identify a Negative Slope

To identify a negative slope, you can look at the graph of a line. If the line slants downward from left to right, it has a negative slope. Another way to identify a negative slope is by looking at the equation of the line. If the coefficient of the x-term is negative, then the line has a negative slope.

Calculating the Slope

The slope of a line can be calculated using the following formula:

m = (y₂ - y₁) / (x₂ - x₁)

Where (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂) are two points on the line. If the calculated slope is negative, then the line has a negative slope.

Study Guide

Here are some key points to remember when studying negative slope:

1. A negative slope indicates that the line is decreasing from left to right.
2. You can identify a negative slope by looking at the graph of the line or the equation of the line.
3. The slope of a line can be calculated using the formula m = (y₂ - y₁) / (x₂ - x₁), where (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂) are two points on the line.

Understanding the concept of negative slope is important in various mathematical and real-world applications, such as determining the rate of decrease in a function or interpreting the meaning of a negative slope in a real-life scenario.