Question

Question #3ce48

Answer 1

`x=-1/2`

Explanation:

Perpendicular, or the symbol you see up there means that the slopes are opposite reciprocals of each other. In other words one is the negative inverse of the other.

Let's say that 1/2 was one slope. A perpendicular slope would be -2, because I flip the numerator and denominator and put a negative sign in front. That is the opposite reciprocal.

So now let's get to the problem. We know they are perpendicular and so we know the following due to them having to be opposite reciprocals:

`-4/(x-1) = 8/3`

So now we just need to solve for `x`. Multiply the `x-1` over, and multiply both sides by 3/8. Then add 1 for your answer!

`-4/(x-1)*color(red)(x-1) = 8/3*color(red)(x-1)`
`-4 = (8(x-1))/3`
`-4*color(red)(3/8) = (8(x-1))/3*color(red)(3/8)`
`-3/2 = x-1`
`-3/2 + color(red)(1) = x-1+color(red)(1)`
`-1/2 = x`