183k views
4 votes
What is the slope of a line perpendicular to the line whose equation is y=2x+5

2 Answers

5 votes
For two lines to be perpendicular to one another, their slopes must be negative reciprocals of one another, mathematically:

m1*m2=-1

In this case, our reference line has a slope of 2 so

2m=-1 divide both sides by 2

m=-1/2

So the slope of a line perpendicular to y=2x+b will have a slope of -1/2.
User LIvanov
by
7.9k points
5 votes
-1/2x. The slopes of perpendicular lines are negative reciprocals. -1/2 x and 2x are negative reciprocals
i hope this helps:)
User Marina Dunst
by
7.3k points