Consider the line y=-4/3x+6 . Find the equation of the line that is perpendicular to this line and passes through the point , -8- 4 . Find the equation of th

Question

No clue how to do this

Answer 1

Hi Aaron

 

If you have a line   y = m*x + b ,  the perpendicular line is given by   y' = (-1/m)*x + b'

 

The slope of the line y = -(4/3)x + 6 is -(4/3). Then, the slope of the line perpendicular is:

 

-(1/m)  = -(1/(-4/3)) = 3/4

 

Then the perpendicular line is:  y' = (3/4)x + b'

 

For getting the value of b' you use the fact that this perpendicular line pass through the point x=-8 and y=-4.

 

-4 = (3/4)*(-8) + b'

 

-4 = -6 + b' 

 

b' = 2

 

The perpendicular line is :   y' = (3/4)*x + 2