Question 5-x-7-

1.1 Linear Functions - Parallel/perpendicular line relationships
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5 x + 7 y = 1

a x + b y = 1

In the given pair of equations, a and b are constants. The graph of this pair of equations in the xy-plane is a pair of perpendicular lines. Which of the following pairs of equations also represents a pair of perpendicular lines?

A.

10 x + 7 y = 1

a x - 2 b y = 1

B.

10 x + 7 y = 1

a x + 2 b y = 1

C.

10 x + 7 y = 1

2 a x + b y = 1

D.

5 x - 7 y = 1

a x + b y = 1

5 x + 7 y = 1 a x + b y = 1 In the

Hard-difficulty · SAT Math · Linear Functions — Parallel/perpendicular line relationships. Read the question above, select your answer, and check the full explanation below to understand exactly why the correct choice works.

Answer explanation

Choice B is correct. Two lines are perpendicular if their slopes are negative reciprocals, meaning that the slope of the first line is equal to -1 divided by the slope of the second line. Each equation in the given pair of equations can be written in slope-intercept form, y = m x + b , where m is the slope of the graph of the equation in the xy-plane and 0,b is the y-intercept. For the first equation, 5 x + 7 y = 1 , subtracting 5 x from both sides gives 7y=-5x+1, and dividing both sides of this equation by 7 gives y=-57x+17. Therefore, the slope of the graph of this equation is - 5 7 . For the second equation, a x + b y = 1 , subtracting a x from both sides gives b y = - a x + 1 , and dividing both sides of this equation by b gives y=-abx+1b. Therefore, the slope of the graph of this equation is - a b . Since the graph of the given pair of equations is a pair of perpendicular lines, the slope of the graph of the second equation, - a b , must be the negative reciprocal of the slope of the graph of the first equation, - 5 7 . The negative reciprocal of - 5 7 is  -1-57, or 7 5 . Therefore, - a b = 7 5 , or a b = - 7 5 . Similarly, rewriting the equations in choice B in slope-intercept form yields y=-107x+17 and y=-a2bx+12b. It follows that the slope of the graph of the first equation in choice B is - 10 7 and the slope of the graph of the second equation in choice B is - a 2 b . Since a b = - 7 5 , - a 2 b is equal to -12-75, or 7 10 . Since 7 10 is the negative reciprocal of - 10 7 , the pair of equations in choice B represents a pair of perpendicular lines.

Choice A is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.

Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.