Student Goal

I can connect rate of change to slope.

Why It Matters

Slope helps students understand graphs, rates, linear relationships, and many real-world patterns in 8th grade and Math 1.

Warm-Up

Warm-Up 1

A table shows 2 tickets cost 10 dollars. What is the cost per ticket?

Warm-Up 2

Which table has a constant rate of 4?

Warm-Up 3

Slope compares change in which values?

Short Lesson

Standard Focus

NC.8.EE: Expressions and Equations; NC.8.F: Functions

Student-Friendly Standard Goal

I can describe a constant rate of change and connect it to slope.

  • A proportional relationship has equivalent ratios and often starts at zero.
  • Rate of change tells how much y changes when x changes.
  • Slope is a rate: change in y compared to change in x.

Guided Examples

Guided Example 1

Find Slope from a Table

A table has points (1, 5), (2, 9), and (3, 13). What is the slope?

x123
y5913

Step 1

y changes +4 each time

What is the change in y from 5 to 9?

Guided Example 2

Compare Rates

Plan A costs 12 dollars for 3 hours. Plan B costs 20 dollars for 5 hours. Which has the lower hourly cost?

Step 1

12 / 3

What is Plan A's hourly cost?

Practice

Problem 1

A car travels 180 miles in 3 hours. What is the unit rate?

Problem 2

In a table, x increases by 1 and y increases by 7. What is the slope?

Problem 3

Which relationship is proportional?

Problem 4

True or false: Slope can describe speed, cost per item, or growth per week.

Problem 5

A graph rises 6 units and runs 2 units. What is the slope?

Reflection

How are you feeling about today's skill?

Optional reflection: How does slope describe a relationship?