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lesson 15
1 hour

The Distance from a Point to a Line


Description

In this lesson, students review the distance formula, the criteria for perpendicularity, and the creation of the equation of a perpendicular line. Students reinforce their understanding that when they are asked to find the distance between a line 𝑙 and a point 𝑃 not on line 𝑙, they are looking for the shortest distance. This distance is equal to the length of the segment that is perpendicular to 𝑙 with one endpoint on line 𝑙 and the other endpoint 𝑃. Students derive the general formula for the distance 𝑑 of a point 𝑃(𝑝, 𝑞) from a line 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏 through a teacher-led exercise, and then practice using the formula.

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Credits

From EngageNY.org of the New York State Education Department. Geometry Module 4, Topic D, Lesson 15. Available from engageny.org/resource/geometry-module-4-topic-d-lesson-15; accessed 2015-05-29.
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