How do you find the slope that is perpendicular to the line -5x-3y+8=05x3y+8=0?

1 Answer
Aug 26, 2016

The slope of one line and the slope of a line perpendicular to the first line are negative inverses of each other.

Explanation:

If Line1 has slope m = 3m=3 , then perpendicular Line2 will have slope m = -1/3m=13

To find the slope of your line −5x−3y+8=05x3y+8=0, let's put the equation in slope-intercept form:

y = - (5/3)x + 8/3y=(53)x+83

So, your line has slope m =- 5/3m=53.

The slope of a line that is perpendicular to your line above will be the negative inverse, that is:

(-1)/(-5/3)153 , which equals positive 3/535 .

(It's the lines that are perpendicular to each other, not the slopes. The slopes are negative inverses.)