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The graph of a linear function is a line with a constant slope. The graph of an exponential function is a curve with a non-constant slope. The slope of a given curve at a specified point is the derivative evaluated at that point.
This algebra lesson explains how to find the slope of a line by looking at its graph. To get from the point (-2, -1) to the point (4, 3), you rise up 4... and run 6.
The slope for a straight line graph is the ratio of the amount by which the graph goes up (the rise) for every unit that it goes to the right (the run). If the graph goes down, the slope is negative. For a curved graph, the gradient at any point is the slope of the tangent to the graph at that point.
The slope of a graph provides general information about a graph. It tells you how much the y value of the graph increases (or decreases, if the slope is negative) for a given increase in x value. if you look at the general equation of a graph y = a x + b the value "a" represents the slope and the "b" value represents the value of y when x = 0. When the graph is not a straight line, the discussion gets more complicated, however the slope still describes changes in the value of the graph (you have to use calculus for this situation.)
The graph of [ y = 4x + 2 ] is a straight line with a slope of 4.Any line with a slope of 4 is parallel to that one, and any line parallel to that one has a slope of 4.