Question

The pitch of a roof is the number of feet the roof rises for each 12 feet
horizontally. If a roof has a pitch of 8, what is its slope expressed as a positive number?

Answer 1

Try writing picking out the pieces of info you are given, for example, you know that for some variable that is pitch, the horizontal change is 12. You know that slope is \[\frac{ rise }{ run } or \frac{ y }{ x }\] so you know that whatever pitch is, the slope can be expressed as a fraction, and x=12.

Answer 2

They've also given you a value for pitch. And since pitch=rise=change in y...

Answer 3

so would the answer be 12/8 which would simplify to 3/2?

Answer 4

close, 12 is the horizontal distance. Slope can be though of as rise over run because the top number represents "change in y" and the bottom is "change in x"

Answer 5

so invert those fractions and you've got it :D