Question

What is the slope of the segment shown for a staircase with 10-inch treads and 7.75-inch risers? As you walk up (or down) the stairs, your vertical distance from the floor is a linear function of your horizontal distance from the point on the floor where you started. Is the function discrete or continuous? Explain.

Answer 1

The formula for slope is

Slope = Rise / Run = Risers / Treads

Slope = 7.75 in /10 in = 0.775

The slope Is 0.775.

The vertical distance is not continuous, thus it is discrete. A discrete function only allows certain points in the interval. When you walk up or down the stairs, the vertical distances are not continuous because of the treads. You cannot stay also mid-air, so it should be discrete. An example of a continuous function would be when you walk up or down an inclined plane.