What do slopes tell us

A graphical depiction is shown below. As the magnitude of the slope increases, the line becomes steeper. As the magnitude of the slope decreases, the opposite occurs, and the line becomes less steep. Slope also indicates the direction of a line. A line with a positive slope, said to be increasing, runs upwards from left to right. As a last illustration, we will examine a more complex case - a two-stage motion. The velocity-time data and graph are displayed below. Observe the relationship between the slope of the line during each four-second interval and the corresponding acceleration value.

A motion such as the one above further illustrates the important principle: the slope of the line on a velocity-time graph is equal to the acceleration of the object. This principle can be used for all velocity-time in order to determine the numerical value of the acceleration.

A single example is given below in the Check Your Understanding section. The velocity-time graph for a two-stage rocket is shown below. Use the graph and your understanding of slope calculations to determine the acceleration of the rocket during the listed time intervals.

When finished, use the buttons to see the answers. Help with Slope Calculations. The acceleration is found from a slope calculation.

Physics Tutorial. My Cart Subscription Selection. Wiki User. A slope is 0 if it is a straight horizontal line. A slope is undefined if it is a straight vertical line. It is a horizontal line. If the line slants up and to the right, it has a positive slope. If it is slanting up and to the left, it has a negative slope. If you dont have slope then you cant tell. That it descends. Its angle of incline. The slope rise over run of one line will be a number n or -n and the perpendicular line's slope will be the exact opposite.

The gradient of a line is the same as the slope of a line. It will tell someone measuring the line how straight the line is. A line with slope of zero is horizontal. A line with no slope is vertical because slope is undefined on a vertical line. The slope of a perpendicular line is the negative reciprocal. For two lines to be parallel they must have the same slope.

A line parallel to a line with slope -2 would have a slope of The slope of a line and the coordinates of a point on the line. Parallel lines have the same slope. The slope of the second line is also No, the slope of a horizontal line is 0. The slope of a vertical line is undefined.

The slope is rise over run. If another line was parallel, the slope would be the same. The lines below are perpendicular. If the slope of the green line is -1, what is the slope of the red line?