How do you find the slope perpendicular to #y=2x-3#?

2 Answers
Apr 14, 2018

#-1/2#

Explanation:

the product of the slope of the normal and the slope of the line

must be = -1 is they are perpendicular to one another

the line #y# = 2#x# - 3 is in the form #y# = m#x# + b

where m is the slope so the slope for this line is 2

then Slope of Normal #*# 2 = -1

slope of normal = #-1/2#

Apr 14, 2018

#-1/2#

Explanation:

Perpendicular slopes are opposite reciprocals of one another. In the equation, the slope is #2# (it's in the form #y=mx+b#, where #m# is the slope).

Opposites (negative version of a positive number and vice versa):

#-3, 3#

#2/4, -2/4#

#13/9, -13/9#

Reciprocals (switch the numerator and denominator):

#1/2, 2#

#13/7, 7/13#

#-23, -1/23#

The opposite number of #2# is #-2# and the reciprocal of #-2# is #1/2#.