Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Learn Slope with the Slidermath Applet
Open the Slider Math page and count the number of units along the "Y axis" line between the points labeled "P" and "Q." Count the units starting with the "P" point. For example, if "P" is located 1 unit down from the intersection of the "X axis" and "Y axis," and "Q" is 1 unit up from that intersection, the number of units is 1 minus -1, or 2 units. The number you've counted is called "delta Y."
Repeat Step 1, but count the units along the "X axis" instead of the "Y axis." The resulting number is called the "delta X."
Locate the number "[delta Y]/[delta X]" on the left of the screen, where "[delta X]" and "[delta Y]" are the numbers you calculated in Steps 1 and 2.
Click the letter ("a" or "b") that displays the correct "[delta Y]/[delta X]" number, which is the slope of the line between the "P" and "Q" points. If you calculated the correct slope and the bird hasn't reached the correct choice yet, the applet will report that you've answered correctly.
Continue playing the game until you've correctly calculated the slopes of several lines. Then press the "+" key to increase the speed of the game.
Learn Slope with the MathPlay Game
Open the "Slope Intercept Game" page on the "Math-Play" site, then click the "One player game" button.
Click the "Play" button that displays on the next screen, then write on paper the equation the applet displays.
Convert the equation to the form "y=mx + b," where "m" is the slope of the line and "b" is where the line crosses the "y axis." Use the following example to guide you, or use an algebra textbook for detailed instructions:
Assume the equation is "5y=20 - 15x." Your goal is to see "y," not "5y," to the left of the "=" sign, so divide both sides by "5." The result is "y = 4 - 3x." Rewrite this so that the term with x, "3x," appears first. The result is "y=-3x + 4." The slope is the number next to the x, -3.
Click, in the applet, the choice displaying the slope computed in the last step. The applet will evaluate your answer.
Click the mouse to aim the basketball throw and attempt to shoot a basket, if your guess was correct.
Learn Slope from a HotMath game
Open the slope game page at the HotMath site, then click the "Start" button. Click the "rocket" button on the next page.
Click the "start game" button, then click "Start a new game."
Observe the number on the "y" axis where the cockroaches are crossing, then enter that number in the "y=" text box in the lower portion of the screen. The applet will evaluate your answer.
Click the "Next" button if your answer was correct. The first few questions give you equations in the form "y=mx."
Continue playing the game using the instructions in Steps 3 and 4. The equations will become more complex, requiring you to perform the slope calculation from the first section of this article. Press the applet's "Hint" button for more detailed help in calculating the slope for a particular problem.