527,935 views
33 votes
33 votes
Line m contains points (-4,5) and (8,2). What is the slope of a line Parallel and Perpendicular to line m?

User Nasirkhan
by
2.9k points

1 Answer

16 votes
16 votes

Explanation:

a parallel line has the exact same slope.

for the slope of a perpendicular line (at a 90° angle) x and y trade places. and the sign of the slope flips.

remember, the slope is the ratio "y coordinate change / x coordinate change" when going from one point on the line to another.

so, we have 2 points on m : (-4, 5) and (8, 2).

going from the first to the second we see

x changes by +12 (from -4 to 8).

y changes by -3 (from 5 to 2).

the slope is then -3/+12 = -1/4.

the slope of the parallel line is also -1/4.

the slope of the perpendicular line is then +4/1 = 4.

User Emil Badh
by
2.7k points