Question

PLEASE HELP!!!
Given the equations of two lines, tell how you would determine if a line is parallel, perpendicular, or neither. Give an example of each.

Answer 1

Well, remember you look at the slope of the lines. y = mx + b where m is your slope.

For 2 parallel lines, the slopes would be the same. Remember multiples of the same number mean the same slope, like 1/2 is the same as 2/4. For 2 perpendicular lines, the slopes are reciprocals (flipped) and you have to multiply by -1. So my slope is 1/2 and the perpendicular slope is -2. For 2 lines that are neither, the slopes have to be different, so no multiples of the same slope allowed and no negative reciprocals.

From here you just pick any random b (y intercept) and make slopes that have the properties I mentioned above, and put it in the y = mx + b format, and you're set!

Hope that helps. :)

Answer 2

Thanks a lot!

Answer 3

No problem :)