Calculate the slope of any line. Enter the x and y coordinates of any two points along a line to calculate the slope of the line and the distance between points.

Slope Formula

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

 slope = (y₂ - y₁) / (x₂ - x₁) 
  • y₂ = y coordinate of point 2
  • y₁ = y coordinate of point 1
  • x₂ = x coordinate of point 2
  • x₁ = x coordinate of point 1

Slope Definition

Another word for slope is gradient. The gradient of a line is the rate of change in the coordinates with respect to Y/X. The slope is also often called rise over run. This corresponds to the common terminology that says that the Y-axis is vertical “rise” and the X-axis is horizontal “run”. The steeper the slope the greater the ratio of the Y position to X position. The shallower the slope the greater the ratio of the X position to the Y position.

How to Calculate Slope

Below is an example of how you might calculate the slope of a line with limited information. Let’s assume you are given the coordinates (2,3) and (4,5).

  1. First, you need to subtract y2-y1. Through this, you get 2.
  2. Next, you need to subtract X2-X1. Through this, you get 2.
  3. Now divide y by x. 2/2=1. Your slope is equal to 1.
  4. The last step is to analyze your results.

FAQ

What is a slope?

A slope is considered the change in vertical distance divided by the change in horizontal distance.