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Finding the Slope of a Line from its Graph

To determine the slope of a line directly from its graph, use the following four-step procedure:

  1. Locate two points on the line whose coordinates are integers (whole-number coordinates are easiest to read accurately from the grid).
  2. Sketch a right triangle by starting at the point on the left and drawing to the second point. The vertical leg represents the rise, and the horizontal leg represents the run.
  3. Count the rise and the run along the legs of the triangle. The rise is the vertical distance (positive if upward, negative if downward), and the run is the horizontal distance.
  4. Take the ratio of rise to run to calculate the slope: m=riserunm = \frac{\text{rise}}{\text{run}}.

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Updated 2026-05-03

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