Thread: Line perpendicular to y = -2x + 11 and through (4, -2)

My answer is y = 1/2x+0, but I'm not sure if my math was right


1/2 = y - (-2)/ x-4

1/2(x-4)=y - (-2)

1/2x -2 = y+ 2

1/2x+0=y

Can anyone tell me their answers, and show me where my work was wrong? I'm pretty confident that I got it right though.

Does your line have slope +1/2?
Does your line pass through (4,-2)?

If both answers are "yes", you are done. Feel free to be confident in your result.

Originally Posted by TKHunny

Does your line have slope +1/2?
Does your line pass through (4,-2)?

If both answers are "yes", you are done. Feel free to be confident in your result.

Thanks a lot! and yes it does!

You may wish to check the sign on your constant term. It should be -4, not +0.

Also, be more careful with Order of Operations. y - (-2)/x - 4 is absolutely NOT the same as [y - (-2)]/[x - 4]

Similarly, 1/2x is NOT the same as (1/2)x.

Originally Posted by TKHunny

You may wish to check the sign on your constant term. It should be -4, not +0.

Also, be more careful with Order of Operations. y - (-2)/x - 4 is absolutely NOT the same as [y - (-2)]/[x - 4]

Similarly, 1/2x is NOT the same as (1/2)x.

Yes I re-did it and I realized why I got it wrong. Instead of subtracting 2 from the left side I added 2. Awful slip-up.