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

What is the slope of another slope that is perpendicular to it?

Answer 2

-1/2

Answer 3

right?

Answer 4

Right, the negative reciprocal

Answer 5

The definition of "perpendicular slope" is that the new slope perpendicular to the original slope will be the negative reciprocal of it. For example, if the original slope is 2/3, then the slope perpendicular to it will be -3/2.

With that said, what is the negative reciprocal of 2?

Answer 6

thanks @failmathmajor and @anemonix