32.9k views
1 vote
What is the slope of a line perpendicular to the segment AB, which has endpoints A(-8.1, 4.9) and B(-7.6, 2.9)? Express your answer as a common fraction.

User Portia
by
3.1k points

1 Answer

4 votes
Answer:

The slope of the line perpendicular to the segment AB is 1/4

Step-by-step explanation:

The slopes of perpendicular lines are negative reciprocals of each other.

Given the endpoints A(-8.1, 4.9) and B(-7.6, 2.9), the slope of this line is as follows:

(2.9 - 4.9)/[-7.6 - (-8.1)]

= (2.9 - 4.9)/(-7.6 + 8.1)

= -2/0.5

= -4

The negative reciprocal of -4 is 1/4

Therefore, the slope of the line perpendicular to the segment AB is 1/4

User Scott Kuhl
by
3.3k points