To find the gradient (or slope) of the straight line shown in the graph, we need to determine the change in $y$ (vertical change) over the change in $x$ (horizontal change).

The formula for the gradient is:

$\text{Gradient} = \frac{\text{change in } y}{\text{change in } x} = \frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}$

From the image, let's identify two points where the line crosses the grid:

• The line passes through the point $(0, 6)$ on the y-axis.
• It also passes through the point $(3, 0)$ on the x-axis.

Using these two points:

• The change in $y$ is $6 - 0 = 6$.
• The change in $x$ is $0 - 3 = -3$.

Now, calculate the gradient:

$\text{Gradient} = \frac{6}{-3} = -2$

Thus, the gradient of the straight line is $-2$.

Would you like further explanation on this? Here are five follow-up questions:

1. How is the gradient of a line related to its steepness?
2. Can the gradient of a horizontal line be anything other than zero?
3. What does a positive gradient signify compared to a negative gradient?
4. How would you find the gradient if only one point on the line was given?
5. Can two lines have the same gradient but never intersect?

Tip: When finding the gradient of a line, always remember that a negative gradient means the line is sloping downwards from left to right.