16Hit1600
AlgebraVery hardCoefficient for a perpendicular line

Algebra practice question

In the xy-plane, the line ax + 2y = 8, where a is a constant, is perpendicular to the line y = 4x − 1. What is the value of a?

Answer: 1/2 or .5 or 0.5

The first line has slope −a/2, which must be −1/4, the negative reciprocal of 4. So a = 1/2.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 8
8 uses slope 4 with the sign wrong.
If you answered -8
−8 makes the slopes equal, giving parallel lines.
If you answered -1/2
−1/2 has the sign wrong.

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