Question

find the slope, if it exists, ofcontaining the pair of points (3,1) and (5,-3)

Answer 1

rise/run
y2-y1 / x2 - x1

m=-2 -3 -1 = 4 5 - 3 = 2 4/2 = 2

Answer 2

Thanks but I'm lost the final answer is

Answer 3

there is a negative in there ...i'm famous for dropping them

(x,y) is a point ya?

in (3,1) the 3 is an x and the 1 is the y.... that is the first ones so call them x1 and y1
in (5,-3) the 5 is the x and -3 is the y .... that is the second set so call them x2 and y2

rise is y2 - y1 -3 -1 = -4
run is x2 - x1 5 - 3 = 2
-4/2 = -2/1 = -2

Answer 4

graphing it makes it even easier: draw the two points and then draw a line connecting them. If the line points down to your right it is a negative slope. If it points up to the right then it is a positive slope

Answer 5

thank you