document.write( "Question 189656: Distance from a Point to a Line
\n" ); document.write( "4.Find the distance from A(-2,-2) to the line joining B(5,2) and C(-1,4), to the nearest hundredth.\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #142303 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Step 1) Find the equation of the line that passes through the points B(5,2) and C(-1,4)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "First let's find the slope of the line through the points and \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%2F%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29\" Start with the slope formula.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%284-2%29%2F%28-1-5%29\" Plug in \"y%5B2%5D=4\", \"y%5B1%5D=2\", \"x%5B2%5D=-1\", and \"x%5B1%5D=5\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%282%29%2F%28-1-5%29\" Subtract \"2\" from \"4\" to get \"2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=%282%29%2F%28-6%29\" Subtract \"5\" from \"-1\" to get \"-6\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"m=-1%2F3\" Reduce\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the slope of the line that goes through the points and is \"m=-1%2F3\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now let's use the point slope formula:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x-x%5B1%5D%29\" Start with the point slope formula\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-2=%28-1%2F3%29%28x-5%29\" Plug in \"m=-1%2F3\", \"x%5B1%5D=5\", and \"y%5B1%5D=2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-2=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B%28-1%2F3%29%28-5%29\" Distribute\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-2=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B5%2F3\" Multiply\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B5%2F3%2B2\" Add 2 to both sides. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B11%2F3\" Combine like terms. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B11%2F3\" Simplify\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the equation that goes through the points and is \"y=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B11%2F3\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Step 2) Find the perpendicular slope\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: if you draw the line and plot the points, you'll find that the shortest distance is along a perpendicular line from the point to the given line.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Take note that the slope of \"y=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B11%2F3\" is \"m=-1%2F3\". Change the sign and flip the fraction to get \"m=3%2F1\" or just \"m=3\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the perpendicular slope is \"m=3\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Step 3) Find the equation of the line that has a slope of \"m=3\" (the perpendicular slope) and goes through the given point A(-2,-2)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If you want to find the equation of line with a given a slope of \"m=3\" which goes through the point (-2,-2) you can simply use the point-slope formula to find the equation:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "---Point-Slope Formula---\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x-x%5B1%5D%29\" where \"m\" is the slope, and is the given point\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So lets use the Point-Slope Formula to find the equation of the line\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y--2=%283%29%28x--2%29\" Plug in \"m=3\", \"x%5B1%5D=-2\", and \"y%5B1%5D=-2\" (these values are given)\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y%2B2=%283%29%28x--2%29\" Rewrite \"y--2\" as \"y%2B2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y%2B2=%283%29%28x%2B2%29\" Rewrite \"x--2\" as \"x%2B2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y%2B2=3x%2B%283%29%282%29\" Distribute \"3\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y%2B2=3x%2B6\" Multiply \"3\" and \"2\" to get \"6\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=3x%2B6-2\" Subtract 2 from both sides to isolate y\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=3x%2B4\" Combine like terms \"6\" and \"-2\" to get \"4\" \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the equation of the line that has a slope of \"m=3\" goes through (-2,-2) is \"y=3x%2B4\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Step 4) Find the point of intersection between the two lines \"y=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B11%2F3\" and \"y=3x%2B4\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=3x%2B4\" Start with the second equation.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%28-1%2F3%29x%2B11%2F3=3x%2B4\" Plug in \"y=%28-1%2F3%29x%2B11%2F3\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-x%2B11=9x%2B12\" Multiply EVERY term by the LCD 3 to clear out the fractions.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-x=9x%2B12-11\" Subtract \"11\" from both sides.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-x-9x=12-11\" Subtract \"9x\" from both sides.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-10x=12-11\" Combine like terms on the left side.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-10x=1\" Combine like terms on the right side.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x=%281%29%2F%28-10%29\" Divide both sides by \"-10\" to isolate \"x\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x=-1%2F10\" Reduce.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=3x%2B4\" Go back to the second equation.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=3%28-1%2F10%29%2B4\" Plug in \"x=-1%2F10\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=-3%2F10%2B4\" Multiply\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"y=37%2F10\" Combine like terms.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the lines intersect at the point \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Step 5) Find the distance between the two points (-2,-2) and \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"d=sqrt%28%28x%5B1%5D-x%5B2%5D%29%5E2%2B%28y%5B1%5D-y%5B2%5D%29%5E2%29\" Start with the distance formula.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"d=sqrt%28%28-2--1%2F10%29%5E2%2B%28-2-37%2F10%29%5E2%29\" Plug in \"x%5B1%5D=-2\", \"x%5B2%5D=-1%2F10\", \"y%5B1%5D=-2\", and \"y%5B2%5D=37%2F10\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"d=sqrt%28%28-19%2F10%29%5E2%2B%28-2-37%2F10%29%5E2%29\" Subtract \"-1%2F10\" from \"-2\" to get \"-19%2F10\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"d=sqrt%28%28-19%2F10%29%5E2%2B%28-57%2F10%29%5E2%29\" Subtract \"37%2F10\" from \"-2\" to get \"-57%2F10\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"d=sqrt%28361%2F100%2B%28-57%2F10%29%5E2%29\" Square \"-19%2F10\" to get \"361%2F100\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"d=sqrt%28361%2F100%2B3249%2F100%29\" Square \"-57%2F10\" to get \"3249%2F100\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"d=sqrt%28361%2F10%29\" Add \"361%2F100\" to \"3249%2F100\" to get \"361%2F10\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"d=6.008\" Approximate the right side with a calculator\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the distance between the two points is about 6.008 units. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Rounding this value to the nearest hundredth gives us \"d=6.01\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the distance from the point A(-2,-2) to the line joining B(5,2) and C(-1.4) is approximately 6.01 units\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: if you want more practice, check out this solver
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