Exploring Slope
Instructions: There are four parts to this activity. You will work with a partner
and share a graphing calculator and a geoboard.

The Brainstorm:

• You will have 60 seconds to share everything you know about slope.
• Report your ideas to the class when the time is up.
• Add all the accurate ideas about slope to your journal section.
• Write in your journal about the difference be difference between a slope of zero and a slope that is not defined. Be sure to include a labeled diagram of each of these slopes.

  How does the calculator interpret the value of an undefined slope and why? (answer in your journal)

The Question: Read and think about your answer to the following question:

Which Roller Coaster is steeper?

• One that gains 20 ft of altitude for every 4 ft it travels horizontally OR
  

• One that gains 24 ft of altitude for every 6 ft it travels horizontally?

Geoboard Slope:

Part 1: On your geoboard represent a slope of 2/3. Once your teacher has checked your work, continue to represent each slope listed below. Make sure your teacher checks each representation before continuing.

Represent: 1/4, 4/2, 3/3, 2/1, 0/3

Part 2: On your geoboard grid paper, make a sketch of the 'stair steps' with the given steepnesses. The steepness ratio is the 'rise' compared to the 'run'.

Represent on front of paper: 3/4, 3/1, 0/2
Represent on back of paper: -1/2, 3/3, -2/3, 4/0

Rise/Run: Given two points:

• Graph the points.
• Draw the right triangle connecting the points.
• Determine the slope of the line connecting the points.
• Label with the corresponding problem number
• Graph two sets of points per graph:

  1. (0,0) and (5,8)
  2. (1,4) and (3,10)
  3. (3,2) and (6,4)
  4. (2,2) and (6,6)
  5. (10,2) and (4,8)
  6. (5,3) and (5,9)
  7. (9,1) and (5,7)
  8. (3,5) and (5,5)