Answer:
1.1390625
Step-by-step explanation:
The area will be half the magnitude of the product of the x- and y-intercepts. Those interceps can be found from the equation of the perpendicular bisector of M.
The midpoint of M is ...
... ((-3, 7) + (2, -9))/2 = (-0.5, -1)
From one end of M to the other, the change in x is 2-(-3) = 5. The corresponding change in y is -9-7 = -16. For change values ∆x and ∆y and midpoint (h, k), the perpendicular bisector through (h, k) can be written ...
... ∆x(x -h) +∆y(y -k) = 0
For our numbers, this is
... 5(x +0.5) -16(y +1) = 0
... 5x -16y = 13.5 . . . . . simplified, almost standard form
... 10x -32y = 27 . . . . . in standard form
We can benefit by putting this equation into intercept form. Dividing by 27 does it.
... x/(27/10) -y/(27/32) = 1
The x-intercept is 27/10 = 2.7; the y-intercept is -27/32 = 0.84375. The enclosed area is half the product of the magnitudes of these values:
... Area = (1/2)(27/10)(27/32) = 729/640 = 1.1390625
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In the attachment, the area is rounded to 5 decimal places.
