SOLUTION: Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular or neither? L1 through (9,2) and (3,-8) L2 through (-3,5) and (5,-1) m1= -8-2 = -6 = -1 3-(-9) 12 2 m2 = -1-5 = 4

Algebra.Com
Question 106441This question is from textbook
: Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular or neither?
L1 through (9,2) and (3,-8)
L2 through (-3,5) and (5,-1)
m1= -8-2 = -6 = -1
3-(-9) 12 2
m2 = -1-5 = 4 = 1
5-(-3) 8 2

The lines are perpendicular
This question is from textbook

Answer by solver91311(24713)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You were certainly on the right track by computing the slopes of the two lines because we know that parallel lines have equal slopes, i.e.

,

and perpendicular lines have slopes that are the negative reciprocal of each other, i.e.



And I think you have the right idea about the formula for computing the slope given two points of a line. I think you just got lost in the arithmetic, especially with regard to addition of signed numbers.




So for the first line, therefore ;

For the second line, therefore ;

Since the lines are not parallel.

Since the lines are not perpendicular either.


The correct answer is "Neither"

By the way, if you carefully graph these two lines, at first glance they look as if they might be perpendicular, but if you compare the angles formed by the intersection of the lines to a known right angle, you will see that they are clearly not perpendicular after all.

One more "by the way"
I think you may have been using:




to compute the slope instead of the formula I used. In fact, it doesn't make any difference which of the points you call number 1 and which you call number 2 so long as you are consistent when you apply the formula.

The reason it doesn't make any difference is that so and therefore

RELATED QUESTIONS

Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither? L1 through (9, 2) and (3,... (answered by stanbon)
Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither? L1 through (9, 2) and... (answered by jim_thompson5910)
Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither? L1 through (9,2) and... (answered by Nate)
Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither? L1 through (9,2) and... (answered by cartert)
Are the following line parallel, perpendicular, or neither? L1 through (9,2) and (3,-8) (answered by chitra)
Determine whether the lines l1 and l2 are parallel, perpendicular, or neither. Line l1... (answered by Alan3354)
Determine whether the lines l1 and l2 are parallel, perpendicular, or neither. Line l1... (answered by jim_thompson5910)
Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither? L1 through (–4, –7) and... (answered by junior403)
Are the following lines parallel, perpendicular, or neither? L1 through (–4, –7) and... (answered by checkley71)