How to Calculate Acceleration Curve on a Graph Tangent
- 1). Find the slope "m" of a given point on the graph of the velocity function using the expression (rise / run) = (Y - y / X - x), Where (x, y) is an initial point, (X, Y) is a second point on the graph and "m" is the slope. For example, solving for the slope between the points (0, 0) and (2, 9) finds: m = (9 - 0) / (2 - 0) = (9 / 2) = 4.5.
- 2). Convert the slope to a coordinate point by using the value of X as the x-coordinate and the value of m as the y-coordinate. For example, if the slope between the points (0, 0) and (2, 9) equals 4.5 then the new coordinate point becomes (2, 4.5).
- 3). Find the slope values for several points along the graph of the velocity function.
- 4). Plot these points on a separate coordinate plane. The more points you have, the more accurately your graph will reflect the behavior of the new graph.
- 5). Draw a smooth curve connecting all of the points just plotted. The resulting curve is the graph of acceleration from the tangents (slopes) of the velocity function.