In the sketch you can see that the steepness of the steps (pink) and horizontality of Platform 1 (green) averaged together give the overall steepness (red)." "Once you've got those answers correct, you've got a measure of the overall steepness! That is, you've averaged out the steepness of the two sets of steps and Platform 1! In going from where the ground meets the first riser to where Platform 2 meets the steps In going from where the ground meets the first riser to where Platform 2 meets the stepsĢ. INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in each box and click the button to the right to see if your answer is correct. "Now suppose, Lou, that I tell you the risers are 6 inches high, the treads are 12 inches across, and Platform 1 is 6 feet across! Now you tell me the following: " If you look carefully, you'll see that to get from the ground to the level of the doors to the building (Platform 2), you have to go up nine 'risers', and across seven treads and Platform 1! Right?" "That's where gradient can help you! Let's take a closer look at what it's all about! Here's a photo of the steps:" "Well, of course the steps are steeper than the ramp! You go up the same amount but in a shorter distance! But I'd like to know how much steeper!!" Using the ramp.Which do you think is steeper?".There are two ways to get up to the level of the doors from the quadrangle: "Let's look at an example close to home: the entrance to Boylan Hall at Brooklyn College. The diagram on the right shows some slopes and their approximate gradients in feet/mile. Thus, the gradient may be stated as inches/foot, feet/mile, meters/kilometer, etc. The GRADIENT is 2000 feet per mile (10,000 feet divided by 5 miles)Įlevation difference may also be expressed in inches, meters or some other convenient unit similarly, horizontal distance may be expressed in feet, kilometers, etc.Gradient = vertical distance (elevation difference (ED)) divided by horizontal distance (HD).The horizontal distance from 'A' to 'B' = 5 miles.The vertical distance (here, the difference in elevation between points 'A' and 'B') = 10,000 feet.One common way to describe the average steepness or gradient between two points is to state the difference in elevation (ED) divided by the horizontal distance (HD): "What you need to know, Lou, is the gradient! Gradient tells you how steep your route is! Gradient can be expressed numerically in many ways. "Not that I'm lazy, but before I enter upon an expedition, I'd like to know how much huffin' and puffin' is involved!"