Indicate the equation of the line that is the perpendicular bisector of the segment with endpoints (4, 1) and (2, -5).
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Answer
y = (-1/3)x - 3
Explanation
To get the equation of a line we need; gradient of that line and and a point that lies on that line.
Firstly, we find the midpoint to get the point that lies on the required equaion.
midpoint = ((4+2)/2 , (1+ -5)/2)
= (6/2, -4/2)
= (3, -2)
Secondly, we find the gradient of the line.
gradient = Δy/Δx
= (1- -5)/(4-2)
= 6/2
= 3
The products of gradients of perpendicular line is -1.
∴ m₁ ₓ m₂ = -1
3 ₓ m₂ =-1
m₂ = -1/3
Now that we have the gradient and the point, we can find the equation a follows:
-1/3 = (y - -2)/(x-3)
-1(x-3) = 3(y+2)
-x + 3 = 3y +6
3y = -x - 3
y = (-1/3)x - 3
Answer:
The correct answer is x+3y=-3
Step-by-step explanation:
My fist step to solving this question would be to find the mid-point of the given line. The mid point of (4,1) and (2,-5) is (3,-2). The mid point is where the perpendicular bisector connects or bisects the given segment. My second step would be to graph the two given points and to connect them, forming a line. This way, I would know the slope of the line and then I would be able to find the slope of the perpendicular bisector, since the slope for perpendicular lines is the opposite reciprocal of the given line. In doing this, I discovered that the slope of the segment with the given endpoints is 3 which means that the slope of the perpendicular bisector will be x . So, so far we've got a point of intersection and a slope which is all we need to formulate the equation of the line that we are looking for.
In the end, our answer will be x+3y=-3