What is the formula for the gradient of a straight line?

The gradient of a line (m) is calculated by finding the quotient of vertical displacement (y2 minus y1) over horizontal displacement (x2 minus x1). This means that the slope is equal to the vertical change divided by the horizontal change.

Slope is a measurement of the rate of incline or decline of a line or surface. A 10 percent slope corresponds to an incline of 10 vertical units for every 100 horizontal units traveled, while a negative 10 percent slope corresponds to a decline of 10 vertical units for every 100 horizontal units. In physics, an increase in slope equates to a decrease in the supporting force of an object, meaning gravity performs more work on it.