The slope of a line or a hill measures the change in vertical distance or elevation by the change in the horizontal distance. The slope is sometimes referred to as the rise over the run and can be expressed as a fraction, a decimal or a percentage grade. All three forms represent the same slope, but in different ways. For example, if you are driving a truck and know the limits on how steep a hill it can climb as a fraction, but the signs list the slopes as a percent grade, you need to convert to make sure you don't try to go up a hill your truck cannot handle.
Instructions
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1
Identify the numerator and denominator of the fraction. The numerator is the number on top and the denominator is the number on the bottom. For example, if your slope measured as a fraction equals 5/26, 5 is the numerator and 26 is the denominator.
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2
Divide the numerator of the fraction by the denominator of the fraction to find the slope expressed as a decimal. In this example, divide 5 by 26 to get 0.1923.
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3
Multiply the slope expressed as a decimal by 100 to convert to a percentage grade. In this example, multiply 0.1923 by 100 to find the percentage grade equals 19.23.