Final answer:
To determine if two lines are parallel, we compare their slopes. The slopes of line a and line b are not equal, so the lines are not parallel.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine if two lines are parallel, we need to compare their slopes. The slope of a line passing through two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is given by the formula:
slope = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)
Let's calculate the slopes:
For line a: slope_a = (-1 - 3) / (-6 - (-5)) = -4 / (-6 + 5) = -4 / -1 = 4
For line b: slope_b = (-7 - (-2)) / (2 - 3) = -7 + 2 / 2 - 3 = -5 / -1 = 5
Since the slopes of line a and line b are not equal (4 ≠ 5), the two lines are not parallel.
Learn more about Determining parallel lines