# I need help identifying the slope for an equation.

I'm currently having a problem with this

$$2x – 5y = 10$$

I'm supposed to write given equation in slope-intercept form and identify slope. I did that, but I thought the answer was $5$, but it keeps telling me I'm wrong. Then I did it again, and got an answer of $2.5$ but it keeps telling me I'm wrong, so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. If anyone could help, that would be great. :-)

• The answer is 2/5 = 0.4 ? – NeilRoy May 2 '15 at 13:27
• Hint. Can you put that equation in the form $y = ...$? – Ethan Bolker May 2 '15 at 13:27
• @neilroy That's what I was getting, but I must've forgot the 0.4 part. – Larry May 2 '15 at 13:30
• Recall that the formula for the slope for a nonvertical line is $y=mx+b$, where $m$ is the slope$and$b$is the y-intercept, the part of the line that crosses the y-axis. The remainder of the variables go to their corresponding coordinates for any number you substitute for either of them first. – ReliableMathBoy May 2 '15 at 13:52 • hooneedaalgebra? 2 - 5dy/dx = 0 – bjb568 May 2 '15 at 14:08 ## 4 Answers $$5y=2x-10\iff y=\dfrac25x-\dfrac{10}5$$ Compare with$y=mx+c$The formula for the slope of a nonvertical line is$y=mx+b$, so do it this way:$$2x-5y=10$$Subtract$2x$from each side:$$-5y=10-2x$$Rearrange the number and the coefficient of$x$(count the variable and attach it to the coefficient) on the second side:$$-5y=-2x+10$$Divide each side by the coefficient of$y$, which is$-5$:$$y={2\over5}x-2$$and there you have it! The slope for the equation is$2\over5$plus a y-intercept of$-2$. • The formula for the slope of a non-vertical line through points$(x_1, y_1)$and$(x_2, y_2)$is $$m = \frac{y_1 - y_2}{x_1 - x_2} = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1}$$ The equation$y = mx + b$, where$m$is the slope and$b$is the$y$-intercept, is called the slope-intercept form of the equation of a line. – N. F. Taussig May 3 '15 at 21:07 The slope of a line is a rate of change and is represented by m. Slope=Vertical change/Horizontal change=Rise/Run When a line passes through the points$(x_1, y_1)$and$(x_2, y_2)$, the slope is$m = \frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}\$

source:http://math.tutorpace.com

There is also the option of using the short cut that Ax + By = C always has a slope of -A/B.