Question

What is the rate of change for a linear function that passes through the points (8, -10) and (-6, 14)

Answer 1

Answer: $m=-1.714$

Step-by-step explanation:

By definition, the slope of the line is described as "Rate of change".

You need to use the following formula to calcualte the slope of the line;

$m=\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}$

In this case you know that the line passes through these two points: (8, -10) and (-6, 14).

Then, you can say that:

$y_2=-10\\y_1=14\\\\x_2=8\\x_1=-6$

Knowing these values, you can substitute them into the formula for calculate the slope of a line:

 $m=\frac{-10-14}{8-(-6)}$

Finally, you must evaluate in order to find the slope of this line. You get that this is:

$m=\frac{-24}{8+6}\\\\m=\frac{-24}{14}\\\\m=-\frac{12}{7}\\\\m=-1.714$