Question

What is the slope of the function, represented by the table of values below?

Answer 1

Notice the table of values, thus let's pick two points from it, to check what the slope may be,

$\bf \begin{array}{l|ccccccc} x&-2&\underline{1}&2&\underline{4}&7\\ y&16&\underline{4}&0&\underline{-8}&-20 \end{array}\\\\ -------------------------------$

$\bf \begin{array}{ccccccccc} &&x_1&&y_1&&x_2&&y_2\\ % (a,b) &&(~{{ 1}} &,&{{ 4}}~) % (c,d) &&(~{{ 4}} &,&{{ -8}}~) \end{array} \\\\\\ % slope = m slope = {{ m}}\implies \cfrac{\stackrel{rise}{{{ y_2}}-{{ y_1}}}}{\stackrel{run}{{{ x_2}}-{{ x_1}}}}\implies \cfrac{-8-4}{4-1}\implies \cfrac{-12}{3}\\\\\\ \cfrac{-4}{1}\implies -4$