what is a slope in math

In mathematics, the slope of a line is a measure of its steepness. It is calculated as "rise over run," which is the change in y divided by the change in x. The slope is often denoted by the letter m and is a number that describes both the direction and the steepness of the line. A positive slope indicates an increasing line, while a negative slope indicates a decreasing line. The concept of slope is central to differential calculus and is used to calculate the rate of change of a function. The slope can be calculated from two points on a line using the formula: m=y2−y1x2−x1m=\frac{{y_2-y_1}}{{x_2-x_1}}m=x2​−x1​y2​−y1​​ where ((x_1, y_1)) and ((x_2, y_2)) are the coordinates of the two points. The slope is widely used in various fields, including physics, engineering, and economics, to describe the inclination of surfaces, the velocity of objects, and the change in variables over time