Question

What is the slope of the line passing through the point (4, -3) and perpendicular to the line y = 2x + 1? Write your answer as a fraction.

Answer 1

Do you know the slope of the line that it is to be perpendicular to, (y=2x+1)?

Answer 2

-2x?

Answer 3

\(m_1m_2=-1\)

Answer 4

would my answer be -1 then?

Answer 5

close it is 2. Now the line that is to be perpendicular will have the negative reciprocal of 2 which is -1/2. Ricprocals when multiplied become 1. Any way the slope for our line is -1/2 (minus one half) do you agree?

Answer 6

Althugh -1 X -1 is 1 it is not correct. But, 2 X -1/2 is a minus and is the negative reciprocal.

Answer 7

That is just the first part of the problem. But you were given a Point (4,-3) that this line will pass. You now have enough to calculate the equation for the required line.

Answer 8

m=(y1-y)/(x1-x) substituting the values that we now have.
-1/2 = (-3-y)/(4-x)
Can you take it from there, or do you need me to cross multiply?