If P(2, m) is the midpoint of the line joining Q(m, n) and R(n, -4), find the values of m and n.
The correct answer is A. M = 0, n = 4
Yes, here's the provided text in MathJax notation:
Yes, you are correct. If \(P(2, m)\) is the midpoint of the line joining \(Q(m, n)\) and \(R(n, -4)\), we can use the midpoint formula to find the values of \(m\) and \(n\). The midpoint formula states that the coordinates of the midpoint of a line segment with endpoints \((x_1, y_1)\) and \((x_2, y_2)\) are given by \(\left(\frac{{x_1 + x_2}}{2}, \frac{{y_1 + y_2}}{2}\right)\).
Let \(Q(m, n)\) be \((x_1, y_1)\) and \(R(n, -4)\) be \((x_2, y_2)\). Then, the coordinates of the midpoint \(P\) are given by:
\(\left(\frac{{m + n}}{2}, \frac{{n - 4}}{2}\right)\)
Since \(P\) is also given as \((2, m)\), we can equate the coordinates to get a system of two equations:
\(\frac{{m + n}}{2} = 2\)
\(\frac{{n - 4}}{2} = m\)
To solve the simultaneous equations:
\(\frac{{m + n}}{2} = 2\)
\(\frac{{n - 4}}{2} = m\)
We can start by isolating one variable in one of the equations and substitute it into the other equation. Let's solve for \(n\) in terms of \(m\) from the second equation:
\(\frac{{n - 4}}{2} = m\)
Multiply both sides of the equation by 2:
n - 4 = 2m
Add 4 to both sides of the equation:
n = 2m + 4
Now we substitute this expression for \(n\) into the first equation:
\(\frac{{m + n}}{2} = 2\)
\(\frac{{m + (2m + 4)}}{2} = 2\)
Simplify the equation:
\(\frac{{3m + 4}}{2} = 2\)
Multiply both sides of the equation by 2:
3m + 4 = 4
Subtract 4 from both sides of the equation:
3m = 0
Divide both sides of the equation by 3:
m = 0
Now we substitute the value of m back into the equation we found for n:
n = 2m + 4
n = 2(0) + 4
n = 4
Therefore,m = 0 and n = 4.
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