Question

What is the rate of change of the linear function that has a graph that passes through the points (1, 15) and (-2, 3)? Only 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,-,-, and I are allowed in your answer. Answers that are mixed numbers must be entered as an improper fraction or decimal.

Answer 1

ANSWER

4

EXPLANATION

The rate of change of a function is the same as the slope of the function. To find that, we use the formula:

$m\text{ = }\frac{y2\text{ - y1}}{x2\text{ - x1}}$

where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are two points that the line passes through.

We have the points (1, 15) and (-2, 3):

$\begin{gathered} m\text{ = }\frac{15\text{ - 3}}{1\text{ -(-2)}}\text{ = }\frac{12}{1\text{ + 2}} \\ m\text{ = }\frac{12}{3} \\ m\text{ = 4} \end{gathered}$

That is the slope,