A vertical line divides the triangle with vertices and in the coordinate plane into two regions of equal area. The equation of the line is
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Define points A ( 0 , 0 ) , B ( 1 , 1 ) and C ( 9 , 1 ) . Let the equation be x = a for some a ∈ ( 1 , 9 ) . Also, define P ( a , 1 ) and Q ( a , 9 a ) as the intersections of the line x = a to the lines containing the points B , C , and A , C , respectively. Finally, define point D ( 0 , 1 ) . Notice that D P Q A is an isosceles trapezoid since D A ∥ P Q . Additionally, △ D B A is an isosceles triangle with an area 2 1 . Thus, the area of B P Q A is 2 a ( 1 + 1 − 9 a ) − 2 1 = 2 a ( 2 − 9 a ) − 2 1 . On the other hand, the area of △ P C Q is 2 ( 1 − 9 a ) ( 9 − a ) . Solving for a in the equation 2 a ( 2 − 9 a ) − 2 1 = 2 ( 1 − 9 a ) ( 9 − a ) gives a = { 3 , 1 5 } and so the desired equation is x = 3 .