Write an equation (a) in standard form and (b) in slope-intercept form for each line described. through (4, -4), perpendicular to x=4

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the given line: The line is described as \( x = 4 \), which is a vertical line passing through all points where \( x = 4 \).
2. Determine the slope of the given line: Since \( x = 4 \) is vertical, its slope is undefined. A line perpendicular to a vertical line must be horizontal, which means its slope is \( 0 \).
3. Use the point-slope form to write the equation of the line passing through the point \( (4, -4) \) with slope \( 0 \). The point-slope form is \( y - y_1 = m(x - x_1) \), so substitute \( m = 0 \), \( x_1 = 4 \), and \( y_1 = -4 \) to get \( y - (-4) = 0(x - 4) \).
4. Simplify the equation from step 3 to get the slope-intercept form \( y = b \). Since the slope is zero, the equation simplifies to \( y = -4 \).
5. Write the equation in standard form: For a horizontal line \( y = -4 \), the standard form is \( 0x + y = -4 \), or simply \( y = -4 \).

Key Concepts

Equation of a Vertical Line

A vertical line has an undefined slope and is represented by an equation of the form x = a constant. For example, x = 4 is a vertical line passing through all points where x equals 4.

Perpendicular Lines and Their Slopes

Two lines are perpendicular if the product of their slopes is -1. Since a vertical line has an undefined slope, its perpendicular line is horizontal with a slope of 0.

Forms of Linear Equations: Standard and Slope-Intercept

The standard form of a line is Ax + By = C, where A, B, and C are constants. The slope-intercept form is y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept. Both forms express the same line differently.