SOLUTION: find the slope of a line perpendicular to the line f(x)-5x+9

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Question 224561: find the slope of a line perpendicular to the line f(x)-5x+9
Answer by drj(1380) About Me  (Show Source):
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Find the slope of a line perpendicular to the line f(x)=-5x+9

Step 1. Two lines are perpendicular when their product of the slopes is equal to -1. In equation form m1*m2=-1 where m1 is the slope of one line and m2 is the slope of a line perpendicular to the first line.

Step 2. The equation f(x)=y=-5x+9 is in slope-intercept form given as y=mx+b where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept when x=0 or at point (0,b).

For this example the slope m1=-5.

Step 3. Then the slope m2 of the perpendicular line is

m1%2Am2=%28-5%29m2=-1

Divide by -5 to both sides of the equation

-5m2%2F%28-5%29=%28-1%29%2F%28-5%29

m2=1%2F5

Step 4. ANSWER: The slope of the perpendicular line is 1%2F5.

I hope the above steps and explanation were helpful.

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Respectfully,
Dr J
http://www.FreedomUniversity.TV