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#1 2006-02-13 19:58:23
- Titus
- Member
- Registered: 2005-03-07
- Posts: 10
Perpendicular Lines
From the equation 3y = 5 - x
how do you find the gradient? and what is it?
thanks
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#2 2006-02-13 20:19:37
- kempos
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- Registered: 2006-01-07
- Posts: 77
Re: Perpendicular Lines
y = (5 - x)/3
gradient = -1/3
equation of a straight line: y = ax + b where a is a gradient.
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#3 2006-02-14 16:19:55
- John E. Franklin
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- Registered: 2005-08-29
- Posts: 3,588
Re: Perpendicular Lines
If you are looking for the slant of the line perpendicular to this line, then it is negative one over slope of this line.
The slant of a line is the same anywhere on the line.
This is not true for a more complicated curve. So the slope of the perpendicular line to this one is
three.
igloo myrtilles fourmis
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#4 2006-02-16 10:42:10
- rp_
- Member
- Registered: 2006-02-10
- Posts: 7
Re: Perpendicular Lines
ie. Sometimes its easier to understand when you see the formula
if the line gradient is ½ the the gradient of a perpendicular line will be -(1/(½) = -2
therefore in general the line with gradient m will have a pependicular line with gradient -1/m.
Last edited by rp_ (2006-02-16 10:42:29)
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