Determine Whether Lines are parallel or Perpendicular

You can find whether lines are parallel or perpendicular by comparing the slopes of the lines. If
you are given points on the line you can find the slope using the formula. If you are given the
equations of the lines, rewrite each equation in a form so that it is easy to read the slope, such as
the slope-intercept form.

Example 1

Determine whether the lines are parallel or perpendicular or neither.

a) One line passes through points (2, 11) and (-1, 2); another line passes through points (0, -4)
and (-2, -10).

b) One line passes through points (-2, -7) and (1, 5); another line passes through points (4, 1) and
(-8, 4).

c) One lines passes through points (3, 1) and (-2, -2); another line passes through points (5, 5)
and (4, -6).

Solution

Find the slope of each line and compare them.

a) M1=2−11−1−2=−9−3=3 and m2=−10−(−4)−2−0=−6−2=3

The slopes are equal, so the lines are parallel.

b) m1=5−(−7)1−(−2)=123=4 and m2=4−1−8−4=3−12=−14

The slopes are negative reciprocals of each other, so the lines are perpendicular.

c) m1=−2−1−2−3=−3−5=35 and m2=−6−54−5=−13−1=13

The slopes are not the same or negative reciprocals of each other, so the lines are neither parallel
nor perpendicular.

Example 2

Determine whether the lines are parallel or perpendicular or neither.

a) Line 1: 3x+4y=2 Line 2: 8x−6y=5

b) Line 1: 2x=y−10 Line 2: y=−2x+5

c) Line 1: 7y+1=7x Line 2: x+5=y

Solution
Write each equation in slope-intercept form.

a) Line 1 3x+4y=2⇒4y=−3x+2⇒y=−34x+12⇒slope=−34

Line 2: 8x−6y=5⇒8x−5=6y⇒y=86x−56⇒y=43x−56⇒slope=43

The slopes are negative reciprocals of each other, so the lines are perpendicular to each other.

b) Line 1 2x=y−10⇒y=2x+10⇒slope=2

Line 2 y=−2x+5⇒slope=−2

The slopes are not the same or negative reciprocals of each other, so the lines are neither parallel
nor perpendicular.

c) Line 1 7y+1=7x⇒7y=7x−1⇒y=x−17⇒slope=1

Line 2: x+5=y⇒y=x+5⇒slope=1

The slopes are the same so the lines are parallel.

Write Equations of Perpendicular Lines

We can use the properties of perpendicular lines to write an equation of a line perpendicular to a
given line. You will be given the equation of a line and asked to find the equation of the
perpendicular line passing through a specific point. Here is the general method for solving a
problem like this.

Find the slope of the given line from its equation. You might need to rewrite the equation in a
form such as the slope-intercept form.

Find the slope of the perpendicular line by writing the negative reciprocal of the slope of the
given line.

Use the slope and the point to write the equation of the perpendicular line in point-slope form.

Example 3

Find the equation perpendicular to the line y=−3x+5 that passes through point (2, 6).

Solution

Find the slope of the given line y=−3x+5 has a slope=−3.

The slope of the perpendicular line is the negative reciprocal m=13

Now, we are trying to find the equation of a line with slope m=13 that passes through point (2,
6).
Use the point-slope form with the slope and the point y−6=13(x−2)

The equation of the line could also be written as y=13x+163

Example 4

Find the equation of the line perpendicular to x−5y=15 that passes through the point (-2, 5).

Solution

Rewrite the equation in slope-intercept form x−5y=15⇒−5y=−x+15⇒y=15x−3

The slope of the given line is m=15 and the slope of the perpendicular is the negative reciprocal
or m=−5. We are looking for a line with a slope m=−5 that passes through the point (-2, 5).

Use the point-slope form with the slope and the point y−5=−5(x+2)

The equation of the line could also be written as y=−5x−5

Example 5

Find the equation of the line perpendicular to y=−2 that passes through the point (4, -2).

Solution

The equation is already in slope intercept form but it has an x term of 0 y=0x−2. This means the
slope is m=0.

We’d like a line with slope that is the negative reciprocal of 0. The reciprocal of 0 is
m=10=undefined. Hmmm... It seems like we have a problem. But, look again at the desired slope
in terms of the definition of slope m=riserun=10. So our desired line will move 0 units in x for
every 1 unit it rises in y. This is a vertical line, so the solution is the vertical line that passes
through (4, -2). This is a line with an x coordinate of 4 at every point along it.

The equation of the line is: x=4

Write Equations of Parallel Lines

We can use the properties of parallel lines to write an equation of a line parallel to a given line.
You will be given the equation of a line and asked to find the equation of the parallel line passing
through a specific point. Here is the general method for solving a problem like this.

Find the slope of the given line from its equation. You might need to rewrite the equation in a
form such as the slope-intercept form.

The slope of the parallel line is the same as that of the given line.
Use the slope and the point to write the equation of the perpendicular line in slope-intercept form
or point-slope form.

Example 6

Find the equation parallel to the line y=6x−9 that passes through point (-1, 4).

Solution

Find the slope of the given line y=6x−9 has a slope=6.

Since parallel lines have the same slope, we are trying to find the equation of a line with slope
m=6 that passes through point (-1, 4).

Start with the slope-intercept form.Plug in the slopePlug in

point (−1,4).yy4=mx+b=6x+b=6(−1)+b⇒b=4+6⇒b=10

The equation of the line is y=6x+10.

Example 7

Find the equation of the line parallel to 7−4y=0 that passes through the point (9, 2).

Solution

Rewrite the equation in slope-intercept form.

7−4y=0⇒4y−7=0⇒4y=7⇒y=74⇒y=0x+74

The slope of the given line is m=0. This is a horizontal line.

Since the slopes of parallel lines are the same, we are looking for a line with slope m=0 that
passes through the point (9, 2).

Start with the slope-intercept form.Plug in the slope.Plug in

point (9,2).yy2⇒b=0x+b=0x+b=0(9)+b=2

The equation of the line is y=2.

Example 8

Find the equation of the line parallel to 6x−5y=12 that passes through the point (-5, -3).

Solution

Rewrite the equation in slope-intercept form.

3x−5y=12⇒5y=6x−12⇒y=65x−125
The slope of the given line is m=65.

Since the slopes of parallel lines are the same, we are looking for a line with slope m=65 that
passes through the point (-5, -3).

Start with the slope-intercept form.Plug in the slope.Plug in

point (−5,−3).yy−3=mx+b=65x+b=65(−5)+b⇒−3=−6+b⇒b=3

The equation of the line is: y=65x+3