In the standard coordinate plane, line segment has endpoints and . If segment is reflected across the -axis to form segment , what are the coordinates of the midpoint of segment ?
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Answer
The coordinate point
The correct answer is because the midpoint of the original segment is located at . When a point is reflected across the -axis, its -coordinate changes sign while its -coordinate remains the same. Therefore, the image of the midpoint is .
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Reflection of points and segments across the axes in the coordinate plane
Alternative Method
Instead of finding the midpoint first, you can reflect the endpoints and across the -axis to get and . Then, apply the midpoint formula to these new coordinates to get the midpoint: .
Estimated Time:45s