![]() Given the points (3,4) and (6,8) find the slope of the line, the distance between the two points, and the angle of incline: m = Given two points, it is possible to find θ using the following equation: The above equation is the Pythagorean theorem at its root, where the hypotenuse d has already been solved for, and the other two sides of the triangle are determined by subtracting the two x and y values given by two points. Refer to the Triangle Calculator for more detail on the Pythagorean theorem as well as how to calculate the angle of incline θ provided in the calculator above. Since Δx and Δy form a right triangle, it is possible to calculate d using the Pythagorean theorem. It can also be seen that Δx and Δy are line segments that form a right triangle with hypotenuse d, with d being the distance between the points (x 1, y 1) and (x 2, y 2). In the equation above, y 2 - y 1 = Δy, or vertical change, while x 2 - x 1 = Δx, or horizontal change, as shown in the graph provided. The slope is represented mathematically as: m = In the case of a road, the "rise" is the change in altitude, while the "run" is the difference in distance between two fixed points, as long as the distance for the measurement is not large enough that the earth's curvature should be considered as a factor. Slope is essentially the change in height over the change in horizontal distance, and is often referred to as "rise over run." It has applications in gradients in geography as well as civil engineering, such as the building of roads.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |