Find the equation of the line passing through (1,2) that forms an area of 4 sq. units with the coordinate axes.
in Geometry Answers by Level 1 User (340 points)

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
Anti-spam verification:
To avoid this verification in future, please log in or register.

1 Answer

Let the line equation be y=mx+b where m is the slope and b the y intercept. The x intercept is -b/m.

The triangle is formed by joining the intercepts, so that the legs of the right triangle are b and -b/m. The area of the triangle is -b^2/2m (1/2 base times height)=4. So m=-b^2/8.

Therefore the equation becomes y=-xb^2/8+b substituting for m.

Now we put x=1, y=2 into this equation: 2=-b^2/8+b which becomes b^2-8b+16=(b-4)^2=0 so b=4, m=-16/8=-2 and the equation of the line is y=-2x+4.

by Top Rated User (1.1m points)

Related questions

Welcome to MathHomeworkAnswers.org, where students, teachers and math enthusiasts can ask and answer any math question. Get help and answers to any math problem including algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, trigonometry, fractions, solving expression, simplifying expressions and more. Get answers to math questions. Help is always 100% free!
87,542 questions
99,804 answers
2,417 comments
522,172 users