Keeping in mind that a functions rate of change is measure of how fast the function is increasing or decreasing what does the slope of a linear function indicate?

When a linear function is graphed, a line will drawn on the plot. If we analyze this, this means that the two variables are related by a constant of proportionality. That constant is called the slope. Since the slope is constant, that means that the rate of change is also constant. It would only differ if the rate is increasing or decreasing. It would be increasing if its magnitude is positive which will be graphed as a diagonal to the right. Otherwise, it is decreasing whose magnitude is negative which will be graphed as a diagonal to the left.