Question

What is the slope of a line that is perpendicular to the line represented by the equation x – y = 8?

Answer 1

the slope would be equal to -x or -1

Explanation:

First rewrite the equation in correct slope intercept form. Subtract x from both sides and then divide both sides by a negative sign.

x - y = 8

-x -x

`(-y)/(-) =(-x+8)/(-)`

y= x +8

A perpendicular slope is the inverse of the original slope. If the original slope is 2 then the perpendicular slope would be -1/2. In this problem the original slope is 1. The inverse of 1 is -1