World 1 · Functions & Limits · 6 minSlope of a line
Rise over run
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The slope of a line measures how steeply it climbs: rise ÷ run. Go one step right; how far up (or down) do you go? A slope of 2 climbs twice as fast as a slope of 1; a negative slope goes downhill.
For a straight line the slope is the same everywhere — that is what makes it straight. Calculus begins with a bold question: what if a curve had a slope that changed from point to point? Holding onto "rise over run" is the key that unlocks the rest.
Check yourself
A line through (0,0) and (2,6) has slope…
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