To understand the concept of slope in coordinate geometry, we need to first define what slope is. Slope is a measure of how steep a line is, and it tells us how much the y-coordinate changes for a given change in the x-coordinate.

The formula for calculating the slope of a line between two points, (x1, y1) and (x2, y2), is given by the formula:

slope = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)

Let's understand this with an example. Consider two points A(2, 4) and B(5, 9) on a coordinate plane. Using the slope formula, we can find the slope of the line passing through these two points:

slope = (9 - 4) / (5 - 2) = 5 / 3

A positive slope indicates that the line goes up towards the right, while a negative slope indicates a line that goes down towards the right.

The concept of slope is crucial in coordinate geometry as it helps us determine the direction and steepness of a line.

Remember, the slope of a horizontal line is always zero, while the slope of a vertical line is undefined since the denominator becomes zero.

Now that you have a solid understanding of slope, let's practice some problems to reinforce this concept!