Q:

The equation of line WX is 2x+y=-5. What is the equation of a line perpendicular to line WX in slope-intercept form that contains point (-1,-2)?

Accepted Solution

A:
Answer: [tex]y=\dfrac12x-\dfrac{3}{4}[/tex]Step-by-step explanation:Given, The equation of line WX is 2x + y = βˆ’5.It can be written as [tex]y=-2x-5[/tex] comparing it with slope-intercept form y=mx+c, where m is slope and c is y-intercept, we haveslope of WX = -2Product of slopes of two perpendicular lines is -1.So, (slope of WX) Γ— (slope of perpendicular to WX)=-1[tex]-2\times\text{slope of WX}=-1\\\\\Rightarrow\ \text{slope of WX}=\dfrac{1}{2}[/tex]Equation of a line passes through (a,b) and has slope m:[tex]y-b=m(x-a)[/tex]Equation of a line perpendicular to WX contains point (βˆ’1, βˆ’2) and has slope [tex]=\dfrac12[/tex][tex]y-(-2)=\dfrac{1}{2}(x-(-1))\\\\\Rightarrow\ y+2=\dfrac12(x+1)\\\\\Rightarrow\ y+2=\dfrac12x+\dfrac12\\\\\Rightarrow\ y=\dfrac12x+\dfrac12-2\\\\\Rightarrow\ y=\dfrac12x-\dfrac{3}{4}[/tex]Equation of a line perpendicular to line WX in slope-intercept form that contains point (βˆ’1, βˆ’2) [tex]:y=\dfrac12x-\dfrac{3}{4}[/tex]