document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=105880>Question 105880</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0534493947/algebrahomeworkh>Intermediate Algebra</A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I don't know what I am doing wrong but I can't seem to get this right even using the solvers for this type problem.. Can someone please help me solve this before I pull out all my hair? Thank You.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I have to find the midpoint of this line segment;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "P(2,8)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Q(5,8)    Thanks. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #77046 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=77046\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Given the two points:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "P(2,8)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Q(5,8)<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The x-value of the midpoint of the line joining these two points is halfway between <BR>\n" );
document.write( "the x-values of the two points.  The two x-values are 2 and 5. Halfway between these<BR>\n" );
document.write( "two values is 3.5. You can also find this by averaging the two x-values. The average <BR>\n" );
document.write( "of 2 and 5 is found by adding these two values and dividing by 2. Averaging the two x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "values for this problem is done this way:<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( " (2 + 5)/2 = 7/2 = 3.5<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The y-value of the midpoint of the line joining these two points is also halfway between<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the y-values of the two points. The two y-values are 8 and 8. Halfway between these <BR>\n" );
document.write( "two values is still 8 (since there is zero difference). You can also confirm this by<BR>\n" );
document.write( "averaging the two y-values. The sum of the two y-values is 8 + 8 or 16. Divide this sum<BR>\n" );
document.write( "by 2 to get the average y-value as 16/2 = 8.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So the midpoint of the line that connects the two given points is (3.5, 8). <BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "In general, if you are given any two points and asked to find the midpoint of the line<BR>\n" );
document.write( "joining them, you get the x-value of the midpoint by averaging the x-values of the two<BR>\n" );
document.write( "points. And you find the y-value of the midpoint by averaging the y-values of the two<BR>\n" );
document.write( "points.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "In this problem the two points have the same y-value. This means that the line connecting<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the points is a horizontal line that runs between the x-values 2 and 5. So the midpoint<BR>\n" );
document.write( "is just halfway along this horizontal line. This verifies that to be on the line, the<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y-value of the midpoint must be 8. And the x-value must be halfway between x= 2 and x = 5.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Again, in summary the midpoint of the line joining the given points is (3.5, 8).<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Hope this explains the process of finding midpoints of lines joining two given points.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ". </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );