Can some one please explain to me how to do this???
You are walking across a field to get to a hiking path. Use the graph below to find the shortest distance you can walk to reach the path. Explain how you know you have the shortest distance.
In the graph, the point where you are at is (60,100)
the path forms a line connected by two lines,
(25,10) and (50,0)
the x axis goes by 10's and the y axis goes up by 20's.
3 answers
from where you are, draw a perpendicular to the line.
Okay... I did, now where should I go from here?
If P(p,q) is a point not on the line
Ax + By + C = 0 , then the shortest distance from P to the line is
|Ap + Bq + C|/√(A^2 + B^2)
so find the equation of the line in the above form, then apply the formula
Ax + By + C = 0 , then the shortest distance from P to the line is
|Ap + Bq + C|/√(A^2 + B^2)
so find the equation of the line in the above form, then apply the formula