Question

a line is graphed in the coordinate plane. what is the slope of a line perpendicular to the line graphed, written as a fraction?

Explanation:

Step1: Find the slope of the given line

Pick two points on the line, say $(0, 8)$ and $(2, 0)$. The slope formula is $m=\frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1}$. So, $m=\frac{0 - 8}{2-0}=\frac{-8}{2}=- 4$.

Step2: Find the slope of the perpendicular line

The slope of a line perpendicular to a line with slope $m$ is the negative - reciprocal of $m$. If $m=-4=-\frac{4}{1}$, then the slope of the perpendicular line is $\frac{1}{4}$.

Answer:

$\frac{1}{4}$