Let's call the two numbers
and
.
Given these variables, we can say:
, based on the first sentence in the problem.
Also, remember that the reciprocal of a number is simply 1 divided by the number. Thus, we can say that:

To solve, we can simply substitute
in for
in the second equation and solve.


- Get terms on the left side to a common denominator for easier addition


- Cross multiplication (
)


- Subtract
from both sides of the equation

- Factor left side of the equation

Now, notice that we have found two solutions, but the problem is only asking for one. This <em>likely </em>means that one of our solutions is extraneous. Let's take a look. Remember that the smaller positive number is equal to 14 less than the larger number. However,
,
Since
is not positive in this case,
is not a solution.
Thus,
is our only solution. In this case,
,
which means that the smaller number is 14 and the larger number is 28.
keeping in mind that perpendicular lines have negative reciprocal slopes, hmmm what's the slope of the equation above anyway?
![\bf y = \cfrac{2}{3}x\implies y = \stackrel{\stackrel{m}{\downarrow }}{\cfrac{2}{3}}x+0\qquad \impliedby \begin{array}{|c|ll} \cline{1-1} slope-intercept~form\\ \cline{1-1} \\ y=\underset{y-intercept}{\stackrel{slope\qquad }{\stackrel{\downarrow }{m}x+\underset{\uparrow }{b}}} \\\\ \cline{1-1} \end{array} \\\\[-0.35em] ~\dotfill](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=%5Cbf%20y%20%3D%20%5Ccfrac%7B2%7D%7B3%7Dx%5Cimplies%20y%20%3D%20%5Cstackrel%7B%5Cstackrel%7Bm%7D%7B%5Cdownarrow%20%7D%7D%7B%5Ccfrac%7B2%7D%7B3%7D%7Dx%2B0%5Cqquad%20%5Cimpliedby%20%5Cbegin%7Barray%7D%7B%7Cc%7Cll%7D%20%5Ccline%7B1-1%7D%20slope-intercept~form%5C%5C%20%5Ccline%7B1-1%7D%20%5C%5C%20y%3D%5Cunderset%7By-intercept%7D%7B%5Cstackrel%7Bslope%5Cqquad%20%7D%7B%5Cstackrel%7B%5Cdownarrow%20%7D%7Bm%7Dx%2B%5Cunderset%7B%5Cuparrow%20%7D%7Bb%7D%7D%7D%20%5C%5C%5C%5C%20%5Ccline%7B1-1%7D%20%5Cend%7Barray%7D%20%5C%5C%5C%5C%5B-0.35em%5D%20~%5Cdotfill)

so we're really looking for the equation of a line whose slope is -3/2 and runs through (0,0).

I think it’s a carrot I just need points
D (0, -3)
E (1, 0)
F (2, -1)