California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Math Practice Exam

In the context of slope, what does 'rise over run' refer to?

1. The ratio of vertical change to horizontal change

2. The distance traveled over time

3. The change in temperature over a distance

4. The relationship between speed and distance

The correct answer is: The ratio of vertical change to horizontal change

The concept of 'rise over run' is fundamental to understanding slope in mathematics, particularly in geometry and algebra. It describes the ratio of the vertical change (rise) to the horizontal change (run) between two points on a line. This ratio is crucial because it defines the steepness and direction of the line on a graph. When you calculate the slope of a line, you identify how much the line goes up or down (the rise) compared to how much it moves left or right (the run). If you imagine moving from one point on the line to another, you can visualize how far you move vertically compared to how far you move horizontally. For instance, if you move up 3 units and to the right 4 units, the slope would be expressed as 3/4. This means that for every 4 units you move to the right, the line rises 3 units. This clear representation of change is what makes understanding slopes important in analyzing linear relationships in various mathematical contexts. The other options relate to different concepts: distance over time is relevant in physics for speed, change in temperature doesn't directly connect to the geometry of a line, and the relationship between speed and distance is also distinct from the notion of slope on a