Republic of the Philippines

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF GINGOOG CITY

Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental

Math 2- CALCULUS
Module 2

ERMIE P. AMPER
FB: Jong Ermz Steven Pasgala Amper
YT Channel: Ermie Amper
09234885319
Topic: Linear Models and Rates of Changes

The Slope of a Line

The slope of a nonvertical line is a measure of the number of units the line rises (or falls)
vertically for each unit of horizontal change from left to right. Consider the two points (x 1 , y1) and
(x2 , y2) on the line in Figure P.12. As you move from left to right along this line, a vertical change
of
Δy= y2 – y1 Change in y
units corresponds to a horizontal change of
Δx= x2 – x1 change in x
units. (The symbol Δ is the uppercase Greek letter delta, and the symbols Δy and Δx are read “delta
y” and “delta x.”)

Definition of the Slope of a Line

The slope m of the nonvertical line passing through ((x1 , y1) and (x2 , y2) is
Δy 𝑦 𝑦
m= Δx = 𝑥2−−𝑥1 , x1 ≠ x2.
2 1
Slope is not defined for vertical lines.
When using the formula for slope, note that

𝑦2− 𝑦1 −(𝑦 𝑦 ) (𝑦 𝑦 )
= −(𝑥1−−𝑥2) = (𝑥1−−𝑥2)
𝑥2 −𝑥1 1 2 1 2
So, it does not matter in which order you subtract as long as you are consistent and both “subtracted
coordinates” come from the same point.

Figure P.13 shows four lines: one has a positive slope, one has a slope of zero, one has a negative
slope and one has an “undefined” slope. In general, the greater the absolute values of the slope of
a line, the steeper the line. For instance, in Figure P. 13, the line with a slope of -5 is steeper than
the line with a slope of 1/5 .

Equations of Lines
Any two points on a nonvertical line can be used to calculate its slope. This can be verified from
the similar triangles shown in Figure P.14 (Recall that the ratios of corresponding sides of similar
triangles are equal.)

If (x1, y1I is a point on a nonvertical line that has a slope of m and (x,y) is any other point on the
line, then
(𝑦− 𝑦1 )
= m.
𝑥−𝑥 )
1

This equation in the variables x and y can be rewritten in the form of

y – y1 = m(x – x1)
which is the point-slope form of the equation of a line.

Point-Slope Form of the Equation of a Line

The point-slope form of the equation of the line that passes through the point (x 1, y1) and has a
slope of m is
y – y1 = m(x – x1)
Remember that only nonvertical lines have a slope. Consequently, vertical lines cannot be written
in point-slope form. For instance, the equation of the vertical line passing through the point (1, -2)
is x = 1.
Example 1. Finding an Equation of a Line
Find an equation of the line that has a slope of 3 and passes through the point (1, -2). Then sketch
the line

Solution: y – y1 = m(x – x1) point-slope form

y– (-2)= 3(x – 1) substitute -2 for y, 1 for x1 and 3 for m
y + 2 = 3x - 3 simplify
y= 3x – 5 solve for y
To sketch the line, first plot the point (1, -2). Then, because the slope is
m= 3, you can locate a second point on the line by moving one unit to
the right and three units upward, as shown in Figure P.15

Ratios and Rates of Change

The slope of a line can be interpreted as either a ratio or a rate. If the x- and y- axes have the same
unit of measure, then the slope has no units and is a ratio. If the x- and y-axes have different units
of measure, then the slope is a rate or rate of change. In this subject calculus, you will encounter
applications involving both interpretation of slope.

Example 2. Using Slope as a Ratio

The maximum recommended Example 2. Using Slope as a Ratio

1
The slope of a wheelchair ramp is 12. A business installs a wheelchair ramp that rises to a height
of 22 inches over a length of 24 feet, as shown in Figure P.16. Is the ramp steeper than
recommended?
Solution
The length of the ramp is 24 feet or 12 (24) = 288 inches. The slope of the ramp is the ration of its
height (the rise) to its length (the run).

𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒 22 𝑖𝑛
Slope of ramp = 𝑟𝑢𝑛 = 288 𝑖𝑛 ≈ 0.076

Because the slope of the ramp is less than 1/12 ≈ 0. 083, the ramp is not steeper than recommended.
Note that the slope is a ratio and has no units.

Example 3. Using Slope as a rate of Change

The population of Oregon was about 3,831,000 in 2010 and about 3,970,000 in 2014. Find the
average rate of change of the population over this four-year period. What will the population of
Oregon be in 2024? (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)

Solution
Over this four-year period, the average rate of change of the
population of Oregon was

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Rate of change = 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠
3,970,000−3,831,000
= 2014−2010
= 34,750 people per year
Assuming that Oregon’s population continues to increase at this same
rate for the next 10 years, it will have a 2024 population of about
4,318,000. (See Figure P.17).

The rate of change found in Example 3 is an average rate of change. An average rate of
change is always calculated over an interval. In this case, the interval is [2010, 2014]. In chapter
2, you will study another type of rate of change called an instantaneous rate of change.

Graphing Linear Models

Many problems in coordinate geometry can be classified into two basis categories.
1. Given a graph (or parts of it), find its equation
2. Given an equation , sketch its graph

For lines, problems in the first category can be solved by using the point-slope form. The point-
slope form, however, is not especially useful for solving problems in the second category. The
form that is better suited to sketching the graph of a line is the slope-intercept form of the equation
of a line.
The Slope-Intercept Form of the Equation of a Line
The graph of the linear equation
y= mx + b slope-intercept form
is a line whose slope is m and whose y-intercept is (0,b).
Example 4. Sketching Lines in the Plane
Sketch the graph of each equation.
a. y= 2x +1
b. y= 2
c. 3y + x – 6= 0

Solution
a. Because b =1, the y-intercept is (0,1). Because the slope is m = 2, you know that the line
rises two units for each unit it moves to the right, as shown in Figure P.18 (a).
b. By writing the equation y =2 in the slope-intercept form
y= (0)x + 2
you can see that the slope is m =0 and the y-intercept is (0,2). Because the slope is zero,,
you know that the line is horizontal, as shown in Figure P.18(b).
c. Begin by writing the equation is slope-intercept form
3y + x – 6 = 0 write the original equation
3y = -x + 6 isolate y-term on the left
1
Y =-3 𝑥 + 2 slope-intercept form
1
In this form, you can see that the y-intercept is (0,2) and the slope is m = -3. This means that the
line falls one unit for every three units it moves to the right, as shown in Figure P.18(c).

Because the slope of a vertical line is not defined, its equation cannot be written in slope-
intercept form. However, the equation of any line can be written in the general form

Ax + By + C = 0 general form of the equation of a line

Where A and B are not both zero. For instance the vertical line
x=a vertical line
can be represented by the general form
x–a=0 general form
Parallel and Perpendicular Lines

The slope of a line is a convenient tool for determining whether two lines are parallel or
perpendicular, as shown in Figure P.19. Specifically, non-vertical lines with the same slope are
parallel, and non-vertical lines whose slopes are negative reciprocals are perpendicular.
Example 5. Finding Parallel and Perpendicular Lines

Find the general forms of the equations of the lines that pass through the point ( 2, -1) and are (a)
parallel to and (b) perpendicular to the line 2x – 3y = 5.

Solution Begin by writing the linear equation 2x – 3y = 5 in the slope-intercept form.

2x -3y = 5 write the original equation
-3y = -2x +5
2 5
Y= 𝑥− slope-intercept form
3 3
So, the given line has a slope of m= 2/3 (See Figure P.20)
2
a. The line through (2, -1) that is parallel to the given lie also has a slope of 3.
y – y1 = m(x – x1) point-slope form
2
y – (-1) = 3 (x – 2) substitute
2
y+ 1 = 3 (x – 2)
3( y +1) = 2(x – 2) Simplify
3y + 3= 2x – 4 Distributive Property
-2x + 3y +3 + 4= 0
2x – 3y – 7= 0 General Form

Note the similarity to the equation of the given line, 2x – 3y = 5

b. Using the negative reciprocal of the slope of the given lie, you can determine that the
3
slope of a line perpendicular to the given line is -
2
y – y1 = m(x – x1) point-slope form
3
y – (-1) = − (x – 2)
2
2( y +1) = -3(x – 2) Simplify
2y + 2 = -3x + 6 Distributive Property
3x + 2y +2 – 6 = 0
3x + 2y – 4 = 0 General Form
Evaluation: Solve the following.

1. Plot the pair of points and find the slope of a line passing through them
a. (3,-4); (5,2)
2. Sketch the lines through the point with the indicated slopes.
Point (3,4) a. slope m= 1 b. m= -2 c. m= 0
(Note: Item 2 has three answers a, b, c)
3. Find the equation of the line that passes through the point and has the indicated slope.
Then sketch the line.
Point (0,3) slope m= ¾

Proverbs 3:5-6 : Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.(NIV)