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Introduction
What is the gradient of a line?
Gradient of diagonal lines
Gradient of horizontal and vertical lines
How to calculate the gradient of a line
Gradient of a line worksheet
Gradient of a line examples

Common misconceptions
Practice gradient of a line questions
Gradient of a line GCSE questions
Learning checklist
Next lessons
Still stuck?

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In order to access this I need to be confident with:

Plotting graphs Simplifying fractions Negative numbers Scale maths

This topic is relevant for:

Introduction
What is the gradient of a line?
Gradient of diagonal lines
Gradient of horizontal and vertical lines
How to calculate the gradient of a line
Gradient of a line worksheet
Gradient of a line examples

Common misconceptions
Practice gradient of a line questions
Gradient of a line GCSE questions
Learning checklist
Next lessons
Still stuck?
GCSE Maths Algebra Types Of Graphs Straight Line Graphs

Gradient Of A Line

Gradient Of A Line
Here we will learn about the gradient of a line, including how to find the gradient of a line
from a graph, and from two coordinates, and state the equations of horizontal and vertical
lines.

There are also worksheets based on Edexcel, AQA and OCR exam questions, along with
further guidance on where to go next if you’re still stuck.

What is the gradient of a line?

The gradient of a line is the measure of the steepness of a straight line.

The gradient of a line can be either positive or negative and does not need to be a whole
number.

The gradient of a line can either be in an uphill (positive value) or downhill direction
(negative value).

What is the gradient of a line?

What is the gradient of a straight line?
The gradient formula of a straight line shows us how steep the line is. In the general equation
of a straight line, y = mx + c, the gradient is denoted by the letter m.

To calculate the gradient of a straight line through two coordinates (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂ ) use
this gradient formula

m=y2−y1x2−x1

How to understand the gradient of a line

Imagine walking up a set of stairs. Each step has the same height and you can only take one
step forward each time you move. If the steps are taller, you will reach the top of the stairs
quicker, if each step is shorter, you will reach the top of the stairs more slowly.

Let’s look at sets of stairs,

The blue steps are taller than the red steps and so the gradient is steeper (notice the blue
arrow is steeper than the red arrow).

The green steps are not as tall as the red steps so the gradient is shallower (the green arrow is
shallower than the red arrow).
Gradients can be positive or negative but are always observed from left to right.

The linear relationship between two variables can be drawn as a straight line graph and the
gradient of the line calculates the rate of change between the two variables.

Currency gradient example

When calculating the exchange rate of two currencies, we can calculate the gradient of the
line to find the rate of change between them.

Here, the exchange rate between pounds (£

£) and dollars ($) is equal to 35

53
Gradient formula
The gradient formula is a way of expressing the change in height using the y coordinates
divided by the change in width using the x coordinates.

So using the gradient formula to find the gradient of a straight line given the two
coordinates (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂), we need to work out:

 The change in x is the difference between the x coordinates: x₂ − x₁

 The change in y is the difference between the y coordinates: y₂ − y₁

This gives us a gradient formula of:

m=y2−y1x2−x1

It can be helpful to think about this formula as:

‘Change in y divided by change in x’
Or
‘Rise over run’

Gradient equation
The gradient equation is another way we refer to the gradient of a straight line using x and y
coordinates. So again the gradient equation is seen as m = rise / run where m is the gradient
or slope.

m=y2−y1x2−x1

How to find the gradient of a line

To find the gradient of line you divide the change in height (y₂ − y₁) by the change in
horizontal distance (x₂ − x₁)

For example on a straight line with points (4, 2) and (6, 8) we take the difference between the
y coordinates (8 – 2 = 6) and the difference between the x coordinates (6 – 4 = 2), divide 6 by
2 and we have found a gradient of 3.

Gradient of diagonal lines

Let’s have a closer look at the gradient of 4 lines
  When m = 1, for each unit square we move to the right, we move 1 unit square
upwards.
 When m = 2, for each unit square we move to the right, we move 2 unit squares
upwards.
 When m = −3, for each unit square we move to the right, we move 3 unit squares
downwards.
 When m = ½, for each unit square we move to the right, we move ½ a unit square
upwards.

How far apart do the coordinates we choose need to be?

Let’s look at the example of m = 2.

 The first blue line has a gradient of

m=21=2

 The second blue line has a gradient of

m=63=2

 The third blue line has a gradient of

m=105=2
No matter how far apart the coordinates are on the line, the resultant value will always
simplify to the same number, here m = 2.

Top tip: Use two coordinates that cross the corner of two grid squares so that you can
accurately measure the horizontal and vertical distance between them. Use integers as much
as possible!

Remember: the change in x is horizontal, the change in y is vertical.

Gradient of horizontal and vertical lines

There is no relationship between x and y on horizontal or vertical lines and so they cannot
be written in the form y = mx + c as the gradient cannot be measured.

Let us look at a couple of examples to further understand the equations of horizontal and
vertical lines.

Example 1

Show step

Example 2

Show step

How to calculate the gradient of a line

In order to calculate the gradient of a line:

1. Select two points on the line that occur on the corners of two grid squares.
2. Sketch a right angle triangle and label the change in y and the change in x.
3. Divide the change in y by the change in x to find m.

Explain how to calculate the gradient of a line

Gradient of a line worksheet

Get your free gradient of a line worksheet of 20+ questions and answers. Includes reasoning
and applied questions.

DOWNLOAD FREE

Related lessons on straight line graphs

Gradient of a line is part of our series of lessons to support revision on straight line graphs.
You may find it helpful to start with the main straight line graphs lesson for a summary of
what to expect, or use the step by step guides below for further detail on individual topics.
Other lessons in this series include:

 Straight line graphs

 Equation of a line
 y=mx+c
 Parallel and perpendicular lines
 Coordinates maths
 How to find the y intercept and the x intercept
 How to find the midpoint
 Intersecting lines
 Linear graph
 Distance formula

Gradient of a curve
We can estimate the gradient of a curve at a given point by drawing a tangent line at that
point and calculating its gradient.

A tangent line touches the curve at one point only. For the purposes of GCSE Maths, the
tangent line is an estimate drawn by eye, but you should try to be as accurate as possible.

Once the tangent line has been drawn in, use the method described above to calculate the
gradient of the tangent line. This gives an approximation or estimate for the gradient of the
curve at that point.

For example,

In the example above, the red curve is the equation y=x 2

y=x2 and the blue tangent line has been drawn to estimate the tangent at the point (2,4)

(2,4).

Using the points (3,8)

(3,8) and (2,4)(2,4) which both lie on the tangent line, we calculate
= =4 change in x change in y=14=4. Hence the gradient at the point (2,4)(2,4) is 4
change in y change in x 41

4.

Gradient of a line examples

Example 1: using a straight line graph (positive gradient)

Calculate the gradient of the line:

1. Select two points on the line that occur on the corners of two grid squares.

2Sketch a right angle triangle and calculate the change in y

y and the change in x

x.
3Divide the change in y

y by the change in xx to find m

m.

Here,

42=2

so m = 2.

Example 2: using a straight line graph (negative gradient)

Calculate the gradient of the line:

Select two points on the line that occur on the corners of two grid squares.

Show step

Sketch a right angle triangle and calculate the change in y

y and the change in x

x.
Show step

Divide the change in y

y by the change in xx to find m

m.

Show step

Example 3: Using a straight line graph with two coordinates (positive

gradient)

Calculate the gradient of the line:

Select two points on the line that occur on the corners of two grid squares.

Show step

Sketch a right angle triangle and calculate the change in y

y and the change in x

x.

Show step

Divide the change in y

y by the change in xx to find m

m.

Show step
Example 4: using a straight line graph with two coordinates (negative
gradient)

Calculate the gradient of the line:

Select two points on the line that occur on the corners of two grid squares.

Show step

Sketch a right angle triangle and calculate the change in y

y and the change in x

x.

Show step

Divide the change in y

y by the change in xx to find m

m.

Show step

Example 5: given two coordinates (positive gradient)

Calculate the gradient of the line with coordinates A(4, 3) and B(7, 12).

Select two points on the line that occur on the corners of two grid squares.

Show step

Sketch a right angle triangle and calculate the change in y

y and the change in x

x.

Show step

Divide the change in y

y by the change in xx to find m

m.

Show step

Example 6: given two coordinates (negative gradient)

Calculate the gradient of the line with coordinates P(−10, −3) and Q(2, −7).

Select two points on the line that occur on the corners of two grid squares.

Show step

Sketch a right angle triangle and calculate the change in y

y and the change in x

x.

Show step

Divide the change in y

y by the change in xx to find m

m.

Show step

Common misconceptions

 Mixing up the coordinates

A common error is to mix up the coordinates when calculating the change in y and the
change in x.
It is helpful to label each coordinate (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂) so that when we take the values
from the first coordinate away from the second coordinate we end up with:

The change in x is x₂ − x₁
 The change in y is y₂ − y₁

 Incorrect simplifying of m (negative number division)

When you subtract one coordinate from another, one or both of the numerator and the
denominator can be negative. If one is negative, the gradient is negative.

If both are negative, remember a negative number divided by another negative number is a
positive number, so the gradient is positive.

E.g.

6−2=−62=−3 or −8−4=84=2

 Change in x divided by the change in y

It is easy to mistake the calculation of m to be the change in x divided by the change in y.

This would result in the reciprocal of the gradient which, most of the time (although not
always) is incorrect.

 Reading scales incorrectly

Sometimes the scale of the axis can change, e.g. 1 square can be a half unit, or 2 units etc. For
this reason it is important to use the coordinates and the axes to make sure these values are
correct. Example 4 highlights this fact as each square on the y-axis is 2 units.

Practice gradient of a line questions

1. Calculate the gradient of the line:

m=25
m=52
m=52

m=25
m=410

m=104
m=104

m=410

2. Calculate the gradient of the line:

m=914

m=149
m=149

m=914
m=−914

m=−149
m=−149

m=−914

3. Calculate the gradient of the line given the coordinates:

m=43

m=34
m=144

m=414
m=34

m=43
m=83

m=38

4. Calculate the gradient of the line given the coordinates:

m=−2

m=−2
m=12

m=21
m=−4

m=−4
m=−14

m=−41

5. Calculate the gradient of the line given the coordinates A(2,6)

A(2,6) and B(8,24)

B(8,24)
m=3

m=3
m=4

m=4
m=13

m=31
m=−3

m=−3

6. Calculate the gradient of the line given the coordinates A(−3,−8))

A(−3,−8)) and B(−5,10)

B(−5,10)
m=9

m=9
m=−14

m=4−1
m=−1

m=−1
m=−9

m=−9

Gradient of a line GCSE questions

1. Two straight line graphs A

A and BB are shown on a set of axes. The equation of line AA is y=2(x+1).

y=2(x+1).

Use this information to calculate the gradient of the line B.

B.
 (4 marks)

Show answer

2. (a) Write an equation in the form y=mx+c

y=mx+c that has the same gradient as the line 3y+9=12x.

3y+9=12x.

(b) Tick the statements that are true for the equation 3y+9=12x

3y+9=12x and your solution for part a).

They are parallel

They intersect at the coordinate (0,−3)

(0,−3)

They are perpendicular to one another

(4 marks)

Show answer

3. Craig is calculating the gradient of the straight line shown below.

Here is Craig’s working:

Is Craig correct? Explain your answer.

(3 marks)

Show answer

Learning checklist
You have now learned how to:

 Calculate and interpret gradients of graphs of such linear equations numerically,

graphically and algebraically
 Interpret the gradient of a straight line graph as a rate of change

The next lessons are

 Maths formulas
 Interpreting graphs
 Inequalities

Still stuck?
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