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Help with perpendicular lines in math?

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One line segment has a slope of -3/2. Find the missing coordinate so that the second line segment is perpendicular to the first line (2,-5) (X,-7). I got the answer 2/3 for X but i'm unsure if it's right could someone clarify please
asked May 22, 2014 in ALGEBRA 1 by anonymous

1 Answer

0 votes

Let us assume that, AB and CD are perpendicular lines.

Slope of AB = - 3/2.

Because the slopes of perpendicular lines are negative reciprocals, the slope of CD  is 2/3.

From the given data,the coordinates of C and D are (2, - 5) and D(x, - 7).

Let the points are C(x₁, y₁) = (2, - 5) and D(x₂, y₂) = (x, - 7).

Slope of CD (m) = [(y₂ - y₁)/(x₂ -x₁)] = 2/3

(- 7 + 5)/(x - 2) = 2/3

- 2 * 3 = 2(x - 2)

- 6 = 2x - 4

2x = - 6 + 4

x = - 2/2

⇒ x = - 1.

your answer is wrong.

answered May 22, 2014 by lilly Expert

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