How do you find the slope of a line perpendicular to the line to the line through the points (7,-10) and (6,-1)?

1 Answer
May 14, 2018

The perpendicular slope would be #m=1/9#

Explanation:

Let's begin by finding the slope of the line through the two points, #(7,-10)# and #(6,-1)#

Slope is The change in #y# rise over the change in #x# run.

#m = (Deltay)/(Deltax)#

and can be found using the equation

#m=(y_2-y_1)/(x_2-x_1)#

For the points given the coordinates are

#x_1 = 7#
#y_1 = -10#
#x_2 = 6#
#y_2=-1#

Plug in the values and solve for slope

#m=(-1 -(-10))/(6-7)#

#m = 9/-1#

#m =-9#

The line perpendicular to this line would have a slope that is the inverse of this line. Both in sign and reciprocal.

#m - 1/9