Can someone please help me out with this math problem???

Question

Can someone please help me out with this math problem, I dont just want the answer, I would like to know how to solve other problems like this, so if you could show me how to work it out that would be great thanks???

Determine the equation of the line through (3, -5) and perpendicular to the line through (2, -4) and (-3, 2)

I'm not asking for the answer just for help, use any points, does not need to be those numbers......

Answer 1

alrighty...
1. find slope of line through (2,-4) and (-3,2)
change in y over change in x
-4-2/2--3= -6/5
2. find slope of other line
if perpendicular it is opposite reciprical
so... it would be 5/6
3. put in point slope form
y=mx+b
m=slope
b= intercept

so... y=5/6x+b

4. plug in point to find intercept
y=5/6x+b with 3,-5
-5=5/6 (3)+b
-5=15/6+b
(minus 15/6 from both sides)
-2.5=b or b=--5/2

5.so this is the equation y=5/6x+ - 5/2



this is how I would do it just because that was how I was taught
hope this helps

Answer 2

You know the result must be the equation of a line which has the form a+bx, where b is the slope, and a is the y intercept. From the information you are given, you can get the slope from the specifications given for the perpendicular line. The slope of the perpendicular line is the negative of the slope of the line you want the equation of. To get the slope of the perpendicular line, subract the x-coordinate of the first point from the x-coordinate of the second to get the x-difference Dx, and get the y-difference Dy by subtracting the y-coordinate of the two points in the same order. The slope of the perpendicular is then Dy/Dx, and the slope of the line you want is -Dy/Dx. This will replace b in the line equation above. Now you need to find a. You know the line passes through the given coordinate (3, -5). This means at x = 3, y = -5. Put those numbers into the line equation (now with the value of b determined) and solve for a.

Long-winded to explain but easy to do.

Answer 3

The slope of the known line is obviously -1.2. -1/-1.2=0.8333_. 0.8333_*3=2.5, so the equation is y=0.8333_x-7.5.

Answer 4

We're not here to do your homework for you