Kimberly77
Great thanks
Bunuel, get it.
In other words in this type of midpoint question, does it mean as long as we know the value in X-axis is sufficient? Whereas Y-axis value is not relevant here?
Thanks
I recognize the inclination towards generalization and the desire to formalize everything into strict rules. Nevertheless, it's crucial to thoroughly comprehend individual cases before attempting to generalize them. In this particular question, the first statement is sufficient because it says that point R is located on a line which is
perpendicular bisector of two points (-3,-3) and (1,-3). Thus, no matter where on this line point R is located, it will be equidistant from points (-3,-3) and (1,-3). As you can see, it's not about x or y-axis, rather about the specific properties of the geometry involved. In this case, the key property is that
any point on the perpendicular bisector of a line segment is equidistant from the segment's endpoints. Therefore, knowing the x-coordinate is sufficient in this scenario because it places point R on that crucial perpendicular bisector. This principle, rather than a general rule about x or y values, guides the solution here.