SOLUTION: I need to find the possible values of a, if the distance between the points is 5, and the coordinates are (1,1) and (4,a).

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Question 237373: I need to find the possible values of a, if the distance between the points is 5, and the coordinates are (1,1) and (4,a).
Answer by College Student(505) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The distance formula between two points is:
d=sqrt%28%28x2-x1%29%5E2%2B%28y2-y1%29%5E2%29
Now all you need to do is substitute values and solve algebraically.
5=sqrt%28%284-1%29%5E2%2B%28a-1%29%5E2%29
If you raise both sides of the eqn by the power of 2, you will get:
25=%284-1%29%5E2%2B%28a-1%29%5E2
25=3%5E2%2B%28a-1%29%5E2
25=9%2B%28a-1%29%5E2
16=%28a-1%29%5E2
Now take the square root of both sides, you get:
sqrt%2816%29=%28a-1%29
4%2B1=a
a=5