SOLUTION: A line segment 5 units long has one of its ends at (3,1). The ordinate of the other end is 5. Find its abscissa.

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Question 166153: A line segment 5 units long has one of its ends at (3,1). The ordinate of the other end is 5. Find its abscissa.
Answer by jojo14344(1512) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

The line segment 5 units will serve as the distance between the points.
Just like Pyth.theorem, we use the formula,
distance%5E2=%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29%5E2%2B%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%5E2
Given ---system%28x%5B1%5D=3%2Cx%5B2%5D=x%5B2%5D%2Cy%5B1%5D=1%2Cy%5B2%5D=5%29
Continuing,
5%5E2=%28x%5B2%5D-3%29%5E2%2B%285-1%29%5E2
25=x%5B2%5D%5E2-6x%2B9%2B16
25=x%5B2%5D%5E2-6x%2B25 ---> cross%2825%29=x%5B2%5D%5E2-6x%2Bcross%2825%29
x%5B2%5D%5E2-6x=0
x%5B2%5D%28x%5B2%5D-6%29=0 -----> highlight%28x%5B2%5D=6%29 ANSWER, abscissa
See graph,
drawing%28300%2C300%2C-8%2C8%2C-8%2C8%2Cgraph%28300%2C300%2C-8%2C8%2C-8%2C8%29%2C%28green%28line%283%2C1%2C6%2C1%29%29%29%2C%28blue%28line%286%2C1%2C6%2C5%29%29%29%2C%28red%28line%286%2C5%2C3%2C1%29%29%29%29 -- line segment 5 units (RED LINE) has points (3,1) & (6,5)
Thank you,
Jojo