Which equation is the equation of a line that passes through (-10. 3) and is perpendicular to y=5x-7?

1 Answer
Jan 8, 2017

y=-1/5 x +1

Explanation:

I assume there is a typo and the problem should be:

write the equation of a line that passes through (-10,3) and is perpendicular to y=5x-7.

The line y=5x-7 is in slope-intercept form y=mx+b where m is the slope. The slope of this line is thus m=5.

Perpendicular lines have slopes which are negative reciprocals. In other words, take the reciprocal of the slope and change the sign.

The negative reciprocal of 5 is -1/5.

To find the equation of a line which passes through (color(red)(-10),color(red)3) and with a slope of color(blue)m= color(blue)(-1/5), use the point- slope formula:

y-color(red)(y_1)=color(blue)m(x-color(red)(x_1)) where (color(red)(x_1),color(red)( y_1)) is a point and color(blue)m is the slope.

y-color(red)(3)=color(blue)(-1/5)(x-color(red)(-10))

y-3=-1/5(x+10)color(white)(aaa) Equation in point-slope form

To put the equation in slope-intercept form, distribute the -1/5.

y-3=-1/5 x-2

Add 3 to both sides.

y-3=-1/5 x-2
color(white)a+3color(white)(aaaaaaaa)+3

y=-1/5 x +1