Question

Bridget defines perpendicular lines as follows:

Two lines are perpendicular if they intersect. Why is Bridget's definition not precise enough?
A. It should specify that the lines intersect in a right angle.
B. Perpendicular lines do not intersect.
C. It describes parallel lines, not perpendicular lines.
D. It excludes some pairs of perpendicular lines."

Answer 1

Bridget's definition of perpendicular lines lacks the condition that they must intersect at a right angle, which is essential to define lines as perpendicular accurately. So the correct answer is Option D.

Step-by-step explanation:

Bridget's definition of perpendicular lines, stating that two lines are perpendicular if they intersect, is not precise enough because it does not include the necessary condition that the lines must intersect at a right angle. The correct answer to why Bridget's definition is not precise enough is option A: It should specify that the lines intersect in a right angle.

In geometry, when we describe two lines as being perpendicular, we are specifically referring to them intersecting at a 90-degree angle. This is synonymous with orthogonal vectors in the case of vector analysis, where the directions of the vectors differ by exactly 90 degrees. The concept of perpendicularity is crucial in various areas of mathematics and physics, including in the analysis of vector components and in defining linear perspective in art where orthogonal lines converge at a vanishing point.