Find the equation of a line that is perpendicular to the line x=-5 and contains the point (1,4)

Check the picture below.

we have three similar triangles, because each has a right angle and shares an angle.   let's write the angles in order: opposite to short leg, long leg, hypotenuse.

cab similar to bad similar to cbd

or as ratios,

ca: ab: cb = ba: ad: bd = cb: bd: cd

we also know

ac = ad + cd

(ad+cd): ab: cb = ba: ad: bd = cb: bd: cd

(ad+cd)/cb=cb/cd

we have cb=6, ad=5 and seek x=cd.

we reject the negative root and conclude x=4

answer: 4

the formula for the equation of a circle is (x – h)2+ (y – k)2 = r2, where (h, k) represents the coordinates of the center of the circle, and r represents the radius of the circle. if a circle is tangent to the x-axis at (3,0), this means it touches the x-axis at that point.