How do you find the slope that is perpendicular to the line #5x+2y=8#?

Question

7999 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2016-11-07T17:11:57

Please see the explanation for steps leading to the slope of any perpendicular line equal to #2/5#

Given: #5x + 2y = 8#

Rewrite the equation of the line in slope-intercept form, #y = mx + b#.

Subtract 5x from both sides:

#2y = -5x + 8#

Divide both sides by 2:

#y = -5/2x + 4#

Please observe that the slope, #m = -5/2#.

The slope, n, of a perpendicular line will be:

#n = -1/m#

#n = -1/(-5/2)#

#n = 2/5#