The introduction to Chapter 1 discussed the rise in sea level over the last few decades. One of the contributing factors to this rise is the melting of Earth’s glaciers.
Glaciers around the world are retreating at accelerating rates, and many lower-latitude mountain glaciers may soon disappear entirely. The meltwater from these smaller glaciers contributed as much as 40% to the total rise in sea level over the 1990s.
By measuring the change in ice and snow height at fixed points and multiplying by the surface area of the glacier, scientists calculate the total volume of water lost from land-based glaciers. Dividing this volume by the surface area of the world’s oceans gives the resulting change in sea level.
The graphs below show the change in thickness of the land-based glaciers overthe past 5 years, and the rise in sea level attributed to their melting. In this section we consider how to measure a rate of change.
Subsection 1.4.1 Rate of Change
The equation we use to describe a linear model, \(y = mx + b\text{,}\) gives the starting value \(b\) of the variable \(y\) and the rate \(m\) at which \(y\) changes. Now we will look more closely at rates and how they appear on the graph of the model. First, let’s review the notion of a ratio used as a rate. You are already familiar with several types of rates.
Definition 1.4.1. Rate.
A rate is a type of ratio that compares two quantities with different units.
Checkpoint 1.4.2. QuickCheck 1.
A ratio that compares two quantities with different units is called a .
In the examples below, notice that each rate has units of the form \(\dfrac{\text{something}}{\text{something else}} \text{,}\) which we read as "something per something else."
Example 1.4.3.
Caryn bought 7 used paperback novels for a total of $2.45. Use a ratio to calculate the price per book. \(~\alert{\text{[TK]}}\)
Solution.
\begin{equation*}
\frac{\text{total cost in dollars}}{\text{number of books}} = \frac{2.45 \text{ dollars}}{7 \text{ books}} = 0.35 \text{ dollars/book}
\end{equation*}
The novels were priced at a rate of $0.35 per book.
Checkpoint 1.4.4. Practice 1.
Delbert biked 34 miles in 5 hours. Use a ratio to calculate his average speed.
\begin{equation*}
\frac{\text{distance in miles}}{\text{time in hours}}= \hphantom{"Delbert speed"}
\end{equation*}
Delbert biked at a rate of .
The rate you calculated in Practice 1, Delbert’s average speed, actually compares the change in two variables, his distance from his starting point, and the time elapsed. This type of rate appears often in linear models.
Definition 1.4.5. Rate of Change.
A rate of change is a special kind of ratio that compares the change in two quantities or variables.
In the next Example we calculate speed as a rate of change, and we introduce a new notation, \(\blert{\Delta}\text{,}\) to help with the calculation.
Example 1.4.6.
Gregor is driving across Montana. At 1 pm his trip odometer reads 189 miles, and at 4 pm it reads 360 miles. Calculate Gregor’s average speed as a rate of change.
Solution.
We have two variables: time, \(t\text{,}\) and distance, \(d\text{,}\) and the following data points:
\(~ t ~ \) |
\(d\) |
\(1\) |
\(189\) |
\(4\) |
\(360\) |
Gregor’s speed is the ratio of the distance he traveled to the time it took. The distance he traveled is the change in his odometer reading (from 189 miles to 360 miles), and the time it took is the change in the clock reading (from 1 pm to 4 pm).The units of this ratio are miles per hour.
In mathematics, we use the symbol \(\blert{\Delta}\) (delta) for change in. Thus
\begin{align*}
\text{distance traveled}\amp= \Delta d = 360-189 = 171 \text{ miles} \\
\text{time elapsed}\amp= \Delta t=4-1=3 \text{ hours}
\end{align*}
Gregor’s average speed is the ratio \(\dfrac{\text{distance traveled}}{\text{time elapsed}} =\dfrac{\Delta d}{\Delta t}\text{,}\) so
\begin{equation*}
\text{Speed}=\frac{\Delta d}{\Delta t} = \frac{171 \text{ miles}}{3 \text{ hours}}= 57 \text{ miles/hour}
\end{equation*}
Checkpoint 1.4.7. QuickCheck 2.
What does the symbol \(\Delta\) stand for?
A triangle
Speed
Change in
Coordinate
Checkpoint 1.4.8. Practice 2.
Nelson is a long-distance truck driver. On a recent trip through the Midwest, he noted these odometer readings:
4 am |
127 miles |
10 am |
421 miles |
What was Nelson’s average speed?
How do we see the rate of change on a graph? Let’s consider the example above. The graph shows Gregor’s distance, \(d\text{,}\) at time \(t\text{.}\) We plot the two data points, \((1, 189)\) and \((4, 360)\text{,}\) and draw a straight line joining them. We can illustrate \(\Delta d\) and \(\Delta t\) by vertical and horizontal line segments, as shown on the graph.
The rate of change of distance with respect to time, or speed, is the ratio of \(\Delta d\) to \(\Delta t\text{.}\) It measures how much \(d\) changes for each unit increase in \(t\text{,}\) or how far Gregor travels in each hour. This quantity, the ratio \(\dfrac{\Delta d}{\Delta t} \text{,}\) is the slope of the line. \(~\alert{\text{[TK]}}\)
Checkpoint 1.4.9. QuickCheck 3.
What feature of a graph illustrates rate of change?
The \(y\)-axis
Slope
Scales on the axes
The coordinate of a point
Subsection 1.4.2 Review of Slope
You may have encountered the notion of slope in previous courses. Let us see how slope is related to rate of change.
Slope.
The slope of a line is a rate of change that measures the steepness of the line.
The slope tells us how much the \(y\)-coordinate changes for each unit of increase in the \(x\)-coordinate, as we move from one point to another along the line.
Checkpoint 1.4.10. QuickCheck 4.
The slope of a line tells us how much the \(y\)-coordinate changes
from one end of the graph to the other.
as we move up the \(y\)-axis.
from one point to the next point.
for each unit of increase in the \(x\)-coordinate.
Using the notation \(\Delta\) for "change in," we define slope as follows.
Definition 1.4.11. Slope of a Line.
\begin{equation*}
\text{slope}=\frac{\text{change in }y\text{-coordinate}}{\text{change in }x\text{-coordinate}}
\end{equation*}
or, in symbols
\begin{equation*}
m=\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}
\end{equation*}
In the definition of slope,
\begin{equation*}
\Delta x~ \text{ is}~
\begin{cases}
\text{positive if }x\text{ increases} \amp \text{(we move to the right)}\\
\text{negative if }x\text{ decreases} \amp \text{(we move to the left)}
\end{cases}
\end{equation*}
\begin{equation*}
\Delta y~ \text{ is}~
\begin{cases}
\text{positive if }y\text{ increases} \amp \text{(we move up)}\\
\text{negative if }y\text{ decreases} \amp \text{(we move down)}\hphantom{to left}
\end{cases}
\end{equation*}
How does slope measure the steepness of a line? Study the three examples below and notice how \(y\) changes for each 1 unit increase in \(x\text{.}\)
\(y\) increases by 2 units
\begin{equation*}
m=\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}=\frac{2}{1}=2
\end{equation*}
\(y\) increases by \(\frac{3}{2}\) units
\begin{equation*}
m=\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}=\frac{3}{2}
\end{equation*}
\(y\) decreases by 2 units
\begin{equation*}
m=\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}=\frac{-2}{1}=-2
\end{equation*}
From these examples, we can make the following observations:
Slope and Steepness.
For positive slopes, the larger the value of \(m\text{,}\) the more the \(y\)-value increases for each unit increase in \(x\text{,}\) and the more we climb up as our location changes from left to right. (So graph A is steeper than graph B.)
If \(y\) decreases as we move from left to right, then \(\Delta y\) is negative when \(\Delta x\) is positive, so their ratio (the slope) is negative. (See graph C.)
Example 1.4.12.
Compute the slope of the line. \(~\alert{\text{[TK]}}~~\)
Illustrate the slope on the graph by drawing a vertical segment of length \(\Delta y\) and a horizontal segment of length \(\Delta x\text{.}\)
If \(\Delta x =1\text{,}\) what is the length of the vertical segment?
Solution.
The points \((20,500)\) and \((40,1000) \) lie on the graph. As we move from the first point to the second point, \(x\) increases by 20 units, so \(\Delta x=20\text{,}\) and \(y\) increases by 500 units, so \(\Delta y = 500\text{.}\) Thus
\begin{equation*}
\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}=\frac{500}{20}=25
\end{equation*}
-
The segments are shown in the graph below.
The slope is 25, which means that \(y\) increases 25 units for each 1-unit increase in \(x\text{.}\) So, if \(\Delta x=1\text{,}\) then \(\Delta y=25\text{.}\)
Checkpoint 1.4.13. Practice 3.
Compute the slope of the line.
Illustrate the slope on the graph by drawing a vertical segment for \(\Delta y\) and a horizontal segment for \(\Delta x\text{.}\)
If \(\Delta x=1\text{,}\) what is the length of the vertical segment?
Answer.
\(\displaystyle -37.5\)
\(\displaystyle 37.5\)
Subsection 1.4.4 Lines Have Constant Slope
You have probably already noticed the following important fact about lines.
Lines Have Constant Slope.
The slope of a line is constant: no matter which two points you pick to compute the slope, you will always get the same value.
For the line shown in the figure, try computing the slope using the points \(P\) and \(Q\text{,}\) and then using the points \(G\) and \(H\text{.}\) In each case, you should find that the slope is \(\frac{3}{2} \text{.}\)
Here is another way to look at slopes. If we start at any point on the line shown and move 9 units to the right, what value of \(\Delta y\) will bring us back to the line? We can use the slope formula with \(\Delta x=9\text{.}\)
\begin{align*}
m \amp=\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x} \amp\amp\blert{\text{Substitute the known values.}} \\
\frac{2}{3} \amp= \frac{\Delta y}{9} \amp\amp \blert{\text{Solve for }\Delta y.} \\
\Delta y \amp = 9 \left(\frac{2}{3} \right)=6
\end{align*}
You can use the graph to check this result for yourself; try starting at the point \((-6,-3) \text{.}\)
The fact that lines have constant slope has two important consequences. First because \(m\) is constant for a given line, we can use the formula \(m=\dfrac{\Delta y}{\Delta x} \)to find \(\Delta y\) when we know \(\Delta x \text{,}\) or to find \(\Delta x \) when we know \(\Delta y \text{.}\)
Checkpoint 1.4.16. QuickCheck 5.
What formula can we use to find \(\Delta y\) when we know \(\Delta x\text{,}\) or \(\Delta x\) when we know \(\Delta y\text{?}\)
The equation of the line
The general linear formula
The slope formula
\(\displaystyle D=RT\)
Example 1.4.17.
A wheelchair ramp can have a slope of no more than 24%, or 0.24. What horizontal distance is needed if the ramp must climb an elevation of 4 feet?
Solution.
We first draw a sketch of the wheelchair ramp and label \(\Delta x\) and \(\Delta y\text{.}\) We are given that \(\Delta y=4\) feet, and we are looking for \(\Delta x\text{.}\) We substitute the known values into the slope formula, and solve for \(\Delta x\text{.}\)
\begin{align*}
0.24 \amp = \frac{4}{\Delta x} \amp\amp \blert{\text{Multiply both sides by }\Delta x.}\\
0.24 \Delta x \amp = 4 \amp\amp \blert{\text{Divide both sides by }0.24.}\\
\Delta x\amp = \frac{4}{0.24}=16.\overline{6}
\end{align*}
The wheelchair ramp must have a horizontal length of \(16\frac{2}{3} \) feet, or 16 feet 8 inches.
Checkpoint 1.4.18. Practice 5.
A wheelchair ramp can have a slope of no more than 24%, or 0.24. What height can the wheelchair ramp climb over a horizontal distance of 10 feet?
Hint: Do we know the value of \(\Delta y\) or of \(\Delta x\text{?}\)
Here is a second consequence of the fact that lines have constant slope: We can tell whether a collection of data points lies on a straight line by computing slopes. If the slopes between pairs of data points are all the same, the points lie on a straight line.
Checkpoint 1.4.19. QuickCheck 6.
How can we can tell whether a collection of data points lies on a straight line?
Plot them and look at the graph.
Calculate the slopes between points.
Find an equation for the line.
It depends on the scales on the axes.
Example 1.4.20.
Could this table represent a linear equation? Explain why or why not.
\(x\) |
\(-6\) |
\(-3\) |
\(0\) |
\(3\) |
\(8\) |
\(y\) |
\(20\) |
\(18\) |
\(16\) |
\(14\) |
\(12\) |
Solution.
We compute the slope between each consecutive pair of points. In each case
\begin{equation*}
m=\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}=\frac{-2}{3}
\end{equation*}
Because the slope is the same for all pairs of points, the table could be linear.
Checkpoint 1.4.21. Practice 6.
Could this table represent a linear equation? Explain why or why not.
\(t\) |
5 |
10 |
15 |
20 |
25 |
\(P\) |
0 |
3 |
6 |
12 |
24 |
Hint: Calculate the slopes between points.
Answer.
No, the slope between points is not constant.
To summarize, here are two ways that we can use the slope to study a model.
Two Uses for Slope.
If we know the slope of a line, we can use the formula \(m=\dfrac{\Delta y}{\Delta x} \)to find \(\Delta y\) when we know \(\Delta x \text{,}\) or to find \(\Delta x \) when we know \(\Delta y \text{.}\)
To test whether a collection of data points lies on a straight line, we can compute slopes. If the slopes between all pairs of data points are the same, the points lie on a straight line.