Question

A student calculates the midpoint of the segment formed by (9, 17) and (4, 12) to be (2.5, 2.5). Evaluate the student’s answer.

Answer 1

Answer: The midpoint formula for a line segment with endpoints (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is:

Midpoint = ((x1 + x2)/2, (y1 + y2)/2)

Using this formula with the endpoints (9, 17) and (4, 12), we get:

Midpoint = ((9 + 4)/2, (17 + 12)/2) = (6.5, 14.5)

Therefore, the student's answer of (2.5, 2.5) is not correct. The correct midpoint for the segment formed by (9, 17) and (4, 12) is (6.5, 14.5).