Question

help with slope

Answer 1

Hint: The slope here is the ratio (number of earthquakes) / (year).

What do you think it means if the slope of one of those little lines in the graph is positive? Negative?

What would it mean if (number of earthquakes) / (year) were negative?

Answer 2

@mathmale

If it was positive would it mean more earthquakes? and then negative that would mean there would be less earthquakes?

Answer 3

Yes. The number of earthquakes per year is decreasing when the slope of one of those little lines is negative. Good.

Answer 4

Thank you!
@mathmale

Answer 5

My pleasure! You caught on fast.