In order to find the slope, it is simplest to put this line equation into slope-intercept form. If I rearrange this line to be in the form  y = mx + b , it will be easy to read off the slope m.
While there are several types of transactions classified under the notion of M&A, a merger means a combination of two companies to form a new company, while an acquisition is the purchase of one company by another in which no new company is formed.
A deal may be euphemistically called a merger of equals if both CEOs agree that joining together is in the best interest of both of their companies, while when the deal is unfriendly (that is, when the management of the target company opposes the deal) it may be regarded as an acquisition.