Calculate the slope given the following data. $$\begin{array}{ll}{y_{2}=3.3 \mathrm{K}} & {x_{2}=50 \mathrm{s}} \\\ {y_{1}=5.6 \mathrm{K}} & {x_{1}=30 \mathrm{s}}\end{array}$$

Short Answer

Expert verified
The slope of the line is -0.115 K/s.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Coordinates of Each Point

The given data represents two points in a Cartesian coordinate system. Identify the coordinates for each point as follows: For the first point, \( (x_1, y_1) = (30s, 5.6K) \). For the second point, \( (x_2, y_2) = (50s, 3.3K) \).
02

Apply the Slope Formula

Use the formula for the slope of a line which is given as: \( slope = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \) . Substituting the given values into the formula will give: \( slope = \frac{3.3K - 5.6K}{50s - 30s} \) .
03

Calculate the Slope

Perform the subtraction in the numerator and the denominator to get the value of the slope. So, \( slope = \frac{-2.3K}{20s} \) .

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Cartesian Coordinate System
The Cartesian coordinate system is a foundational element in understanding graphical representations in mathematics and science.

It consists of two axes: the horizontal x-axis and the vertical y-axis, which intersect at a point called the origin. Every point in this two-dimensional system is determined by an ordered pair of numbers, \( (x, y) \), representing its position along the x and y axes respectively.

For instance, in the given exercise, we are presented with two points, \( (30s, 5.6K) \) and \( (50s, 3.3K) \). These coordinates indicate positions on the Cartesian plane, with 's' possibly standing for seconds and 'K' for kilometers, suggesting we might be dealing with a context involving time and distance. In solving problems of this nature, identifying and plotting these points on the Cartesian plane can significantly help in visualizing the problem which often aids better understanding and analysis.
Slope Formula
The slope of a line in a Cartesian coordinate system is a measure of how steep the line is.

Mathematically, it is expressed as the ratio of the change in the y-value (vertical change) to the change in the x-value (horizontal change) between two distinct points on the line. The formula to find the slope \( m \) between two points \( (x_1, y_1) \) and \( (x_2, y_2) \) is given by:

\[ m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \]
When we apply this to our problem, the difference in the 'y' values (vertical change) is \( 3.3K - 5.6K \) and the difference in the 'x' values (horizontal change) is \( 50s - 30s \) giving us a slope \( m \) that indicates the rate at which 'K' changes with respect to 's'. If the slope is positive, it signifies an upward trend in the graph; if negative, a downward trend; and if zero, it means the line is horizontal, indicating no change.
Line Graph Analysis
In line graph analysis, we are often interested in understanding the relationship between two variables. The line's slope is key to this understanding as it indicates the strength and direction of the relationship.

By plotting the two points provided in the Cartesian coordinate system and drawing a line through them, we can visually interpret the data. The line's slope calculated as \( -2.3K/20s \) suggests for every 20 seconds, the variable 'K' decreases by 2.3 units. This could imply a cooling process if 'K' were to represent temperature, for example.

A steeper slope would indicate a more significant change in 'K' over a shorter period, whereas a shallower slope would indicate a less significant change. This visual and analytical interpretation is essential for making predictions and understanding data trends which can be critical in fields such as physics, economics, and biology.

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