Question

Point A is at (3,-8) and point B is at (7,3).
What is the midpoint of line segment AB?

Answer 1

(5, -2)

Explanation:

because that is the only other place on the line where it is on a actual point

Answer 2

The midpoint is located at the average of the two x-values and the average of the two y-values, whether or not that point has whole number coordinates.

3+7
—— = 5
2

-8 + 3
——— = -2.5 (or -5/2)
2

So the midpoint is (5, -2.5). Notice this doesn’t have an integer coordinate for the y-value.