Question

Find the slope perpendicular to the given points

(6, -6) & (-1,-3)
7/3
0-7/3
3/7
-3/7

Answer 1

as you saw on the previous posting, the slope of those points is -3/7, and any line perpendicular to it will have a negative reciprocal slope to that one.

`\bf \stackrel{\textit{perpendicular lines have \underline{negative reciprocal} slopes}} {\stackrel{slope}{-\cfrac{3}{7}}\qquad \qquad \qquad \stackrel{reciprocal}{-\cfrac{7}{3}}\qquad \stackrel{negative~reciprocal}{\cfrac{7}{3}}}`

Answer 2

perpendicular slope =
`(7)/(3)`

Explanation:

Calculate the slope m using the slope formula

m = (y₂ - y₁ ) / (x₂ - x₁ )

with (x₁, y₁ ) = (6, - 6) and (x₂, y₂ ) = (- 1, - 3)

m =
`(-3+6)/(-1-6)` =
`(3)/(-7)` = -
`(3)/(7)`

Given slope m then the slope of a perpendicular line is

`m_(perpendicular)` = -
`(1)/(m)` = -
`(1)/(-(3)/(7) )` =
`(7)/(3)`