The slope of a line, often represented by the letter m, quantifies the line’s steepness and direction. It can be calculated using the formula:
m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)
Here,
(x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are the coordinates of the two points on the line. In this case, we have:
- (x1, y1) = (3, 7)
- (x2, y2) = (1, 1)
Now, plug the values into the formula:
m = (1 - 7) / (1 - 3)
Calculating the numerator and the denominator:
- Numerator: 1 – 7 = -6
- Denominator: 1 – 3 = -2
Now, substitute these values back in:
m = (-6) / (-2) = 3
The slope of the line that passes through the points (3, 7) and (1, 1) is 3. This means for every unit increase in x, the y value increases by 3 units, indicating a positive slope that rises steeply as it moves from left to right.