Question

Lines a and bare perpendicular. If the slope of line a is 3, what is the slope of
line b?

Answer 1

-1/3

Explanation:

just took the test

Answer 2

For lines to be perpendicular, their slopes have to be negative reciprocals of each other. (flip the sign +/- and the fraction(switch the numerator and the denominator))

For example:

Slope =
`(1)/(3)`

Perpendicular line's slope =
`-(3)/(1)` or -3 (flip the sign from + to -, flip fraction)

Slope = -2 or
`-(2)/(1)`

Perpendicular line's slope =
`(1)/(2)` (flip the sign from - to +, and flip the fraction)

The slope of line a is 3, so the slope of line b is
`-(1)/(3)`