slope in real world problems practice
1. A skateboard ramp has a slope of 4 feet for every 10 feet of horizontal distance. What is the slope of the ramp in inches per foot?
Slope = rise / run
Given: rise = 4 feet, run = 10 feet
Slope = 4 / 10 = 0.4
Since there are 12 inches in a foot, the slope can also be expressed as 4.8 inches per foot.
2. A hiking trail ascends 500 feet over a horizontal distance of 1,000 feet. What is the slope of the trail?
Slope = rise / run
Given: rise = 500 feet, run = 1,000 feet
Slope = 500 / 1000 = 0.5
So, the slope of the hiking trail is 0.5, or 6 inches per foot.
3. A road has a gradient of 6% (or 0.06). If the road is 1 mile long, how much does it rise over the course of the mile?
Given: slope = 0.06, run = 1 mile
Slope = rise / run
0.06 = rise / 1
rise = 0.06 * 1 = 0.06 miles
So, the road rises 0.06 miles over the course of 1 mile.