If you are looking for a calculator for slopes of equations, click here.

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Bicyclists, motorists, carpenters, roofers and others either need to calculate slope or at least must have some understanding of it.
Slope, tilt or inclination can be expressed in three ways:
1) As a ratio of the rise to the run (for example 1 in 20)
2) As an angle (almost always in degrees)
3) As a percentage called the “grade” which is the (rise ÷ run) * 100.

Of these 3 ways, slope is expressed as a ratio or a grade much more often than an actual angle and here’s the reason why.
Stating a ratio such as 1 in 20 tells you immediately that for every 20 horizontal units traveled, your altitude increases 1 unit.
Stating this as a percentage, whatever horizontal distance you travel, your altitude increases by 5% of that distance.

Stating this as an angle of 2.8624 degrees doesn’t give you much of an idea how the rise compares to the run.

One way to calculate the grade of a hill is with a map that shows the altitudes of locations.
For example, you’ve measured out a distance of 3 miles (run) with a change in altitude of 396 feet (rise).
First, the units must be made consistent, so we convert 3 miles to 15,840 feet.

With an altimeter and an odometer, we travel the exact route we measured on the map and our altimeter indicates a change in altitude of 396 feet which, not surprisingly, is precisely what we had already measured on the map. However there is a small difference between the 3 mile distance measured on the map and the 3.0009375 miles (15,844.95 feet) we just traveled on the road. The map distance is the true horizontal distance but the travel distance of 3.0009375 miles is the slope length or slope distance. To calculate the true run, we need to use the Pythagorean Theorem.

Instead of determining slope by measuring distances we can measure it directly. There are tools (inclinometers) which measure slope, tilt, etc. Of course if we use one of these, it is a good idea to take more than one measurement and at different locations. For example, on that 3 mile stretch of road, it is highly unlikely that it is a 2.5% grade at every single point. So, using an inclinometer at several locations and then calculating an average of those measurements would yield a much better indication of the road’s slope.

Another way to determine slope is with a level. Roofers (among others) use this method.

One end of the level is placed along the slope of a roof and the lower end is lifted until the bubble indicates it is perfectly horizontal. The rise is then measured. Roofers and carpenters generally use a 1 foot level and the rise is measured in inches and so the slope of the roof (or pitch as they call it) is stated as inches per 12 inches. So, the pitch of a roof can be 1 in 12, 2in 12, and so on.

Besides roads and roofs the concept of slope is quite essential in the design of wheelchair ramps. For this purpose, the slope should never be greater than 1 in 12. In designing a wheelchair ramp for the elderly, a gentler slope of 1 in 18 should be considered.
If the ramp will be exposed to the weather, icy conditions should be taken into account for safety.

1) If we know the ratio of a road or highway (for example 1 in 20), then
angle A = arctangent (rise ÷ run) which equals
arctangent (1 ÷ 20) =
arctangent (.05) =
2.8624 degrees and the

grade = (rise ÷ run) * 100 which equals
(1 ÷ 20) * 100 =
5%.

2) If we know the angle of a road or highway (for example 3 degrees) then the
ratio = 1 in (1 ÷ tan (A)) which equals
1 in (1 ÷ tan (3)) =
1 in (1 ÷ .052408) =
1 in 19.081 and the

grade = (rise ÷ run) * 100 which equals
(1 ÷ 19.081) * 100 =
5.2408%

3) If we know the grade of a road (for example 3%), then
angle A = arctangent (rise ÷ run) which equals
arctangent (.03) =
1.7184 degrees and the

ratio = 1 in (1 ÷ tan(A)) which equals
1 in (1 ÷ tan(1.7184)) =
1 in (1 ÷ .03) =
1 in 33.333

This calculator computes slope as rise over run (first output row) and slope as rise over slope length (second output row).
Let’s use some previous calculations as examples:
396 foot rise 15,840 foot run 15,844.95 foot slope length
2.5% grade 1.4321 degree angle 1 in 40 ratio

1) Click on ratio. Input 396 rise and 15840 run, then click calculate.
Since we have input the true horizontal run, we read the first output line
1.4321 degrees and 2.5% grade.
Entering 396 rise and 15844.95 run, (which is actually the slope length)
we read the second output row and see the results are 1.4321 degrees and 2.5% grade which is exactly what they should be. The third row shows the calculation of the true horizontal run which is 15840 feet.

2) Click on angle. Input 1.4321 and click calculate.
Since this angle was computed by a true rise to run ratio, we read the first output row of 1 in 40 ratio and 2.5% grade.

3) Click on grade. Input 2.5 and then click calculate.
The answers are 1 in 40 ratio and 1.4321 degrees.
Let’s suppose we are entering a grade that was computed by rise over slope length.
Enter 2.44992 and reading the second output line we see this yields a 1 in 40 ratio and a 1.4321 degree angle.

The graph at the top of this page shows a small range of angles from zero to 20 degrees.
The chart below covers a wider range of angles:

Answers are displayed in scientific notation with the number of significant figures you specify in the box above.
For easier readability, numbers between .001 and 1,000 will not be in scientific notation.
Most browsers, will display the answers properly but there are a few browsers that will show no output whatsoever. If so, enter a zero in the box above which eliminates all formatting but it is better than seeing no output at all.