Grade (slope)

High school (ages 12+)
Mathematics & Numbers

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/grade-slope

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the environmental role?Influences water velocity, erosion, soil stability, and vegetation patterns in natural landscapes
2. What is the types of grade?Includes longitudinal grade (along the path) and cross-slope (perpendicular to the path)
3. What is a grade or slope in roads?Grade is the ratio of how much a road goes up or down compared to how far it stretches. It tells engineers how steep the road is.
4. Why do roads need a certain grade?A good grade helps cars and trains move safely and use less fuel. If a road is too steep, engines need more power and brakes must work harder, especially in bad weather.

Tangent: A line that touches a curve at a single point without crossing it.
Superelevation: The banking of a road or track on a curve to counteract centrifugal force.
Geomorphology: The study of landforms and the processes that shape them.