a line that is perpendicular to y= 3/5x and contains the points 5,3

Question

a line that is perpendicular to y= 3/5x and contains the point  5,3

Answer 1

Hello Chance,

In order to find the equation of the line that is perpendicular to y = 3/5 x we have to know what makes a line perpendicular to another.  Do you know?

 

It has a inverse slope, so for this problem, the perpendicular line would have slope -5/3.

 

To find the equation of the line with -5/3 slope and passes through point (5,3) we must use the point-slope form of an equation.  y - y₁ = m(x- x₁)

Therefore if we substitute -5/3 for the m and 3 for y₁ and 5 for the x₁ we get y-3 = -5/3(x-5).  Then simplify to slope intercept form.  y-3 = -5/3x +25/3

y-3+3 = -5/3x +25/3 +3

y = -5/3x +(25+9)/3

y = -5/3x + 34/3

y = -5/3x + 11 1/3

 

Hope this helps,

Pam W.