Calculate area of triangle with perpendicular lines

algebra-precalculus

  1. In the figure below, the lines have slopes of 3 and 5. The lines intersect at (10,15). How far is it between the x-intercepts of the lines?

enter image description here

The equation of the line with slope of 3 is $y=3x+b$ and with the point $(10,15)$ is $15=3(10)+b$ so the equation is $y=3x-15$

Similarly, the slope is 5. So the equation is $y=5x-35$

The x intercepts are $x=5$ for $y=3x-15$ and $x=7$ for $y=5x-35$. The distance between the two 2. Is this correct?

  1. In the figure below, the two lines are perpendicular, and they intersect at $(6,8)$. The y-intercepts of the lines have a sum of zero. Find the area of the shaded region.

enter image description here

the equations of the lines are $y=mx+b$ and $y=-(\frac{1}{m})x-b$ since the y-intercepts are opposite each other. If I plug the point back in, I have:

$8=6m+b$ and $8=-(\frac{1}{m})(6)-b$

If I set these two equations together, I'd have

$6m+b=-(\frac{1}{m})(6)-b$

$6m=-\frac{6}{m}$

$6m^2 = -6$

$6m^2+6=0$

$6(m^2+1)=0$

Here I am stuck because I have a negative root so I'm pretty sure I attempted this problem wrong.

Best Answer

Your answer to the first question is correct.

For the second question, your error, as pointed out in the comment above, was that you accidentally cancelled the $b$'s, even though they had opposite signs. You have two equations:

$$8 = 6m+b \tag{1}$$

$$8 = -\left(\frac{1}{m}\right)6-b \tag{2}$$

There are multiple ways this system can be solved. For instance, you can isolate $b$ in equation $(1)$ and plug it in equation $(2)$.

$$8 = 6m+b \iff \color{blue}{b = 8-6m} \tag{1}$$

$$\implies 8 = -\left(\frac{1}{m}\right)6-\color{blue}{(8-6m)}$$

Can you take it on from here?

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