Calculating the Distance between Points and Lines
1. Calculate the shortest distance between the point and each of the lines pictured in
the following graph.
Title: May 21­9:04 AM (1 of 3)
The steps.
2. Calculate the shortest distance between the point and the line.
• find the slope of the line
• find the slope of the
The line y = -2x + 3 and the point (-5,1).
perpendicular line through
the point
• find the equation of the
perpendicular line
• solve the system to get
the closest point
• find the distance
Title: May 21­9:06 AM (2 of 3)
3. Calculate the shortest distance between the point and the line. The steps.
• find the slope of the line
The line 2x + 3y - 6 = 0 and the point (5,4).
• find the slope of the
perpendicular line through
the point
• find the equation of the
perpendicular line
• solve the system to get
the closest point
• find the distance
Title: May 21­9:12 AM (3 of 3)