Rate of change is the ratio that describes how much one quantity changes in comparison to another quantity.  Given an independent variable, x, and dependent variable, y, the rate of change is determined by dividing the change in y by the change in x.

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1. What are some examples of real-world rates of change?

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   Speed of a vehicle (miles per hour), weight loss (pounds per week), sports statistics (points per game), growth of people or plants (inches per month or year)

2. How can a graph be used to represent a rate of change?

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   The dependent variable is placed on the y-axis, and the independent variable is placed on the x-axis. The steepness of the line describes the rate of change.