Question icon
Grade 11Analytical Geometry

Product of slopes of pirpendicular lines is -1. Slope of x-axis is 0, slope of y-axis is “infinity”. But, 0*infinity is not -1 why?

Profile image of Raghu Vamshi Hemadri
11 Years agoGrade 11
Answers icon

3 Answers

Profile image of Nicho priyatham
11 Years ago
we say product of slopes  -1 if perpendicular when both slopes are finite
tan (teta)=(m2-m1)/1+m1m
so if perpendicular denominator zero m1m2 =-1
if one of them is infinite then use the formula again 
tan (teta)=(m2-m1)/1+m1m2
              =(1-(m1/m) )/(m1+1/m2 )
now put m2 infinit  and m1 =o
u get tan (teta )as 1/0 so teta=900    
PLEASE APPROVE if satisified  or in case of objection type in ans box
Profile image of Raghu Vamshi Hemadri
11 Years ago
If product of slopes of 2 lines is -1 then they are perpendicular. But, the converse may not be true always. The statement of converse clearly has a limitation in it i.e., if the lines are parllel to the coordinate axes this statement dosent hold good.
 
Profile image of Raghu Vamshi Hemadri
11 Years ago
If product of slopes of 2 lines is -1 then they are perpendicular. But, the converse may not be true always. The statement of converse clearly has a limitation in it i.e., if the lines are parllel to the coordinate axes this statement dosent hold good.