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how do you know if a slope is parallel or perpendicular

by Prof. Dario Mayert DVM Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Since slope is a measure of the angle of a line from the horizontal, and since parallel lines must have the same angle, then parallel lines have the same slope — and lines with the same slope are parallel. Perpendicular lines are a bit more complicated. If you visualize a line with positive slope (so it's an increasing line), then the perpendicular line must have negative slope (because it will have to be a decreasing line).

Note that two lines are parallel if their slopes are equal and they have different y-intercepts. In other words, perpendicular slopes are negative reciprocals of each other.Feb 20, 2010

Full Answer

How do you find a parallel slope?

Some examples of force are:

  • Gravitational force.
  • Electric force.
  • Magnetic force.
  • Nuclear force.
  • Frictional force.

How do you find the slope of a perpendicular line?

  • First, take the slope from our original equation. In our equation, the slope is
  • Take the reciprocal of that slope. The reciprocal is .
  • Finally, change the sign so that we end up with . This is the number that represents the slope of the perpendicular line.

How to find the slope of a perpendicular line?

Method 2 Method 2 of 2: Calculating a Perpendicular Line Using Three Points Download Article

  1. Understand the coordinates you were given. If you are given three coordinates from two perpendicular lines, they cannot all be used for the same equations.
  2. Substitute the points from the original line into the slope equation. ...
  3. Combine the two points with the slope into an equation. ...

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Why do parallel lines have the same slope?

  • find the slope and apply to the formula equation:
  • The slope-intercept form is y=mx+b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept. y=mx+b
  • y=x+4

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How to find the negative reciprocal of a perpendicular line?

The negative reciprocal of a number can be found by interchanging the numerator and denominator of the number and changing the sign from positive to negative or negative to positive. For example, if a line has slope 2/3, then ...

What is a negative reciprocal of a number?

The slopes of perpendicular lines are negative reciprocals of one another, where the negative reciprocal of a number is that number with the numerator and denominator interchanged and the sign of the number switched from positive to negative or negative to positive.

How to prove that two lines are perpendicular?

We can prove that two lines are perpendicular by finding their slopes and verifying that the slopes are negative reciprocals of one another. In both cases, we see that to prove that two lines are parallel or perpendicular, we simply find the slopes of the lines and verify that they satisfy the relationship of slopes between parallel ...

What is parallel line?

Parallel lines are lines that never intersect. The slopes of parallel lines are the same. To prove that two lines are parallel, we find their slope and verify that those slopes are equal. Perpendicular lines are lines that create 90 degree angles where they intersect.

Do parallel lines have the same slope?

Parallel lines have the same slope. We can use this fact to prove that two lines are parallel. Basically, all we have to do is show that two lines have the same slope, and this would prove the two lines are parallel. For example, suppose we wanted to prove that the two lines in our image are parallel.

What is the opposite of perpendicular slopes?

The other "opposite" thing with perpendicular slopes is that their values are reciprocals; that is, you take the one slope value, and flip it upside down. (This is the non -obvious thing about the slopes of perpendicular lines.) Put this together with the sign change, and you get that the slope of a perpendicular line is the "negative reciprocal" of the slope of the original line — and two lines with slopes that are negative reciprocals of each other are perpendicular to each other.

Is a perpendicular line a negative reciprocal?

Put this together with the sign change, and you get that the slope of a perpendicular line is the "negative reciprocal" of the slope of the original line — and two lines with slopes that are negative reciprocals of each other are perpendicular to each other. To give a numerical example of "negative reciprocals", if the one line's slope is.

Do perpendicular lines have slopes?

Perpendicular lines are a bit more complicated. If you visualize a line with positive slope (so it's an increasing line), then the perpendicular line must have negative slope (because it will have to be a decreasing line). So perpendicular lines have slopes which have opposite signs. Content Continues Below.

Do parallel lines have the same slope?

Parallel lines and their slopes are easy. Since slope is a measure of the angle of a line from the horizontal, and since parallel lines must have the same angle, then parallel lines have the same slope — and lines with the same slope are parallel.

What is the line in slope intercept form?

in Slope-Intercept Form. Line 1: Line 2: Parallel Lines: The lines are parallel if their slopes are equal or the same. That means. Equal Slopes: Graph: Perpendicular Lines: The lines are perpendicular if their slopes are opposite reciprocals of each other. Or, if we multiply their slopes together, we get a product of.

Is a slope parallel or parallel?

In this case, the slopes are not equal so they are not parallel. The slopes are just the reciprocal of each other. Remember, they must be the opposite reciprocal in order to meet the requirement of perpendicularity. Just like in our previous examples, you can also check by multiplying the slopes. Here you get.

When are two lines perpendicular?

Two lines are Perpendicular when they meet at a right angle (90°). To find a perpendicular slope: When one line has a slope of m, a perpendicular line has a slope of −1 m. In other words the negative reciprocal.

Is a vertical line parallel to a horizontal line?

Vertical Lines. The previous methods work nicely except for a vertical line: In this case the gradient is undefined (as we cannot divide by 0 ): So just rely on the fact that: a vertical line is parallel to another vertical line. a vertical line is perpendicular to a horizontal line (and vice versa).

How many sides are there in a parallelogram?

Parallelograms: A parallelogram is comprised of four sides. Each side is parallel to its opposite side. Rectangles, squares, and rhombi (more than 1 rhombus) are parallelograms. Lines with the same slope (per the slope formula) — Line 1: m = -3; Line 2: m = -3. Lines with the same rise and run.

Do parallel lines have slopes?

Lines with the same m, slope, in the equation. Example: y = 2x + 5; y = 10 + 2x. Note: Yes, parallel lines share a slope, but they cannot share a y-intercept.

What are parallel lines?

Parallel lines are the lines that never intersect and perpendicular lines are the lines that intersect at 90 degrees.

What is the slope of a line that is perpendicular?

If the slope of one line is the negative reciprocal of the second line, then lines are perpendicular. Hence, both the lines are perpendicular.

What is a perpendicular slope?

In plane geometry, all lines have slopes. All slopes are compared to some other line, usually an x-axis. The slope of a line is its angle, or steepness, compared to that x-axis value. Mathematically, it is the change in y-value compared to its change in x-value. A perpendicular slope is the negative reciprocal ...

How to find reciprocals of whole numbers?

To find reciprocals of whole numbers, place the number under 1 1 as a fraction: To find reciprocals of decimals, you can convert the decimal to a fraction and then find its reciprocal, or you can place the decimal under 1 1 as a fraction and use a calculator:

What do all pairs of lines do?

All pairs of lines in geometry must do one of two things: intersect or not intersect. When two lines intersect, they must do one of two things: intersect at right angles or intersect at other angles. When two lines intersect at right angles, they are perpendicular lines, and we can measure their slope. A vertical line is perpendicular ...

Do perpendicular lines always have negative reciprocals?

Slopes of perpendicular lines will always be negative reciprocals. Without worrying about seeing the lines themselves, find the negative reciprocals of these slopes: You do two things to find the negative reciprocal of the slope, and the order does not matter: So, in order, we have these negative reciprocals:

Can two lines be oriented on a coordinate grid?

The two lines may not be oriented on a coordinate grid so that one of them lines up with (or is parallel to) either the x-axis or y-axis. They possibly could, but they may not. Here is the difficult part of finding the slope of the line perpendicular to the positively sloping line: It will be a reciprocal of the positive line's slope, BUT.

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Perpendicular Lines

Quick Check of Perpendicular

  • When we multiply a slope m by its perpendicular slope −1m we get simply −1. So to quickly check if two lines are perpendicular: Like this:
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Vertical Lines

  • The previous methods work nicely except for a vertical line: In this case the gradient is undefined (as we cannot divide by 0): m = yA − yBxA − xB = 4 − 12 − 2 = 30= undefined So just rely on the fact that: 1. a vertical line is parallel to another vertical line. 2. a vertical line is perpendicular to a horizontal line (and vice versa).
See more on mathsisfun.com

Summary

  1. parallel lines: sameslope
  2. perpendicular lines: negative reciprocalslope (−1/m)
See more on mathsisfun.com

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