Slope Calculator

Use this slope calculator to find the slope between two points on a line. Enter X₁ coordinate, Y₁ coordinate, X₂ coordinate, and Y₂ coordinate to get the slope, rise, and run.

How to use this calculator

Enter the first point as X₁ and Y₁.
Enter the second point as X₂ and Y₂.
Read the slope as a decimal rounded to four places.
Check the rise and run values to see the calculation parts.

If the x coordinates are the same, the calculator reports that slope is not defined because the line is vertical. For angle conversions used in geometry or construction, see the angle converter.

Formula

slope = (y₂ - y₁) / (x₂ - x₁)

Slope describes how much y changes for each change in x.

Worked example

For points (0, 0) and (4, 2), the rise is 2 and the run is 4.

$slope = (2 - 0) \div (4 - 0) = 0.5$

That means y increases by 0.5 for every 1 unit increase in x.

Interpreting slope

Positive slope rises from left to right, negative slope falls, zero slope is horizontal, and undefined slope is vertical. In applied problems, slope may be connected to grade, speed, or rate of change. For broader data summaries, the statistics calculator can describe a set of values, while the percentage change calculator compares before and after amounts.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find slope from two points?

Subtract the first y coordinate from the second y coordinate, then divide by the second x coordinate minus the first x coordinate.

What does undefined slope mean?

Undefined slope means the two x coordinates are equal, so the line is vertical and the run is zero.

What inputs does this slope calculator use?

Enter X1, Y1, X2, and Y2 coordinates. The calculator returns the slope plus the rise and run.

Can slope be negative?

Yes. A negative slope means y decreases as x increases, so the line falls from left to right.