Question

Write an equation of a line that is perpendicular to the given line and that passes through the given point.

-x + 5y= 14; (-5, -2)

A. Y=-5x-27
B.y=-1/5x-27
C. Y=-1/5x-15
D. Y=5x-27

Answer 1

To determine the equation that would be perpendicular with a certain line, we must first know the characteristics of a perpendicular line. This line would have a 90 degrees angle with another line so that the slope of this line would be the negative reciprocal of the slope of the other line. To write the equation, given a certain point we use the point-slope form of a line, y -y1 = m(x - x1).

Original line: -x + 5y= 14
y = x/5 + 14/5
slope = 1/5

Perpendicular line's slope = -5
y - y1 = m (x - x1)
y - (-2) = -5 (x - (-5))
y = -5x - 25 -2
y = -5x -27