Question

What is the slope of a line that is perpendicular to the line that goes through (5,4) and (-2,-3)?

Answer 1

First, let us solve for the slope of the line which it intersects with:

m’ = (y2 – y1) / (x2 – x1)

m’ = (-3 – 4) / (-2 – 5)

m’ = 1

 

The slope of the perpendicular line is the negative reciprocal, therefore:

m = - 1 / m’

m = - 1 / 1

m = -1

 

So the slope of the line is -1.