Question
What is the slope of the line that passes through the points. \( (-5,8) \) and \( (-5,4) \) \( (3,8) \) and \( (-2,13) \)
Ask by Wood Wilson. in the United States
Mar 12,2025
Upstudy AI Solution
Tutor-Verified Answer
Answer
The slope of the first line is undefined (vertical), and the slope of the second line is -1.
Solution
**For the points \((-5,8)\) and \((-5,4)\):**
1. The slope \(m\) is calculated using the formula
\[
m = \frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}
\]
2. Substituting the coordinates:
\[
m = \frac{4-8}{-5-(-5)} = \frac{-4}{0}
\]
3. Since division by zero is undefined, the slope is undefined (the line is vertical).
---
**For the points \((3,8)\) and \((-2,13)\):**
1. Again, using the slope formula:
\[
m = \frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}
\]
2. Substituting the coordinates:
\[
m = \frac{13-8}{-2-3} = \frac{5}{-5}
\]
3. Simplifying gives:
\[
m = -1
\]
---
The slope for the first set of points is undefined, and the slope for the second set of points is \( -1 \).
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Beyond the Answer
The slope of a line is calculated using the formula \( m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \). For the points \( (-5,8) \) and \( (-5,4) \), both x-coordinates are the same, which means the line is vertical and the slope is undefined. In the second pair of points \( (3,8) \) and \( (-2,13) \), we find the slope like this: \( m = \frac{13 - 8}{-2 - 3} = \frac{5}{-5} = -1 \). So, the slope is -1, indicating the line goes downwards as it moves to the right.