20.	+Distance+between+a+point+and+a+line+on+the+coordinate+plane

__**Distance between a point and a line on the coordinate plane**__ The shortest distance from a point to a line is a perpendicular segment. The first step in finding the distance between a point and a line is graphing the given equation of the line and plotting the points of the given coordinates. Then, to find the perpendicular segment, you have to find the reciprocal of the given equation's slope. You then start at the original point you plotted and use the reciprocal slope to draw a segment until you reach the original line. Finally, you use the distance formula (using the original point and the point that hits the line) to find the distance.


 * __Step 1:__**


 * __Step 2:__**

**  In this example, we got lucky because it was very simple - our perpendicular segment landed on a specific point. However, if you come across a problem that does not land on a specific point, then you have to solve a system of equations.
 * __Step 3:__

This is another example where we are finding the distance between A and line l:

http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/linepoint/method1.html http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/73051.html http://www.intmath.com/Plane-analytic-geometry/Perpendicular-distance-point-line.php
 * __Helpful Websites__**