Question

create a line through point d, perpendicular to $overline{ab}$. mark the intersection of $overline{ab}$ and the perpendicular line, and label it point e. what does $overline{de}$ represent? explain your reasoning.

Explanation:

The line segment $\overline{DE}$ is the perpendicular distance from point D to line $\overline{AB}$. By definition, the perpendicular distance from a point to a line is the shortest distance. When a line is drawn from a point perpendicular to another line, the length of the segment between the point and the intersection point on the other line represents this shortest - distance.

Answer:

$\overline{DE}$ represents the perpendicular distance from point D to line $\overline{AB}$.