Trigonometry Question Help!

Question

Can you help me with my trigonometry 1 question assignment? Can you also provide an explanation to support the answer?

 

1. What us the slope of any line perpendicular to the line 4x-2y=10?

 

a. (-1)/(3)

b. -1

c. -2

Answer 1

4x-2y=10

-2y=-4x+10

y=2x-5 is the slope-intercept form of the line:in general, y=mx+b where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept

the slope of any line perpendicular to this line will be the negative reciprocal of this line's slope

another way of saying this is that two lines are perpendicular if and only if the product of their slopes is -1

the answer to your question is not listed in a), b), or c)

Answer 2

Generally Speaking equation of a line is given by

   Y = mx + b   is a binomial ( contains 2 terms, one for X , and the other for constant)

 

     m is the slope= difference in y coordinate of 2 points of the line/ difference in X coordinate of 2 points.

 

    The distinct feature of a line is : that slope between every 2 points of a line is constant, and is that geometric property of line which leads to derive the equation as

 

    Y = mx +b    

 

   Now another geometric property indicates that the relationship between slope of 2 perpendicular lines

   

     (m1, m2 ) is such that:

 

      m1 = - 1/ m2

 

       To put this into algebraic form

 

      Consider 2 lines given:

 

     L1 :  m1 X + b1

     L2 :  m2 X + b2

 

      L1 is perpendicular to L2

 

          if and only if   m1 = - 1/m2

 

    Here You have your L1 given as  4X -2y =10

     

        Put it in the form of  Y = m1x +b 

 

        and from there find out m2. By using the property explained in here. 

 

 

 

Answer 3

Hi Paige,

 

There are many tutors on here who would just solve the problem for you.  So that you are able to understand the problem (and be able to solve similar ones on your quizzes and tests!) have you started by checking out many of the useful Lessons available through Wyzant? :-)

 

Try this link:

 

http://www.wyzant.com/resources/lessons/math/algebra/slope

 

If you know how to find the slope of a line, then you'll be able to find the slope of any line perpendicular to it.