SOLUTION: what is the distance between (-5,2) and (4,-8)

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Question 751404: what is the distance between (-5,2) and (4,-8)
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Solved by pluggable solver: Distance Formula


The first point is (x1,y1). The second point is (x2,y2)


Since the first point is (-5, 2), we can say (x1, y1) = (-5, 2)
So x%5B1%5D+=+-5, y%5B1%5D+=+2


Since the second point is (4, -8), we can also say (x2, y2) = (4, -8)
So x%5B2%5D+=+4, y%5B2%5D+=+-8


Put this all together to get: x%5B1%5D+=+-5, y%5B1%5D+=+2, x%5B2%5D+=+4, and y%5B2%5D+=+-8

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Now use the distance formula to find the distance between the two points (-5, 2) and (4, -8)



d+=+sqrt%28%28x%5B1%5D-x%5B2%5D%29%5E2+%2B+%28y%5B1%5D+-+y%5B2%5D%29%5E2%29


d+=+sqrt%28%28-5+-+%284%29%29%5E2+%2B+%282+-+%28-8%29%29%5E2%29 Plug in x%5B1%5D+=+-5, y%5B1%5D+=+2, x%5B2%5D+=+4, and y%5B2%5D+=+-8


d+=+sqrt%28%28-5+-+4%29%5E2+%2B+%282+%2B+8%29%5E2%29


d+=+sqrt%28%28-9%29%5E2+%2B+%2810%29%5E2%29


d+=+sqrt%2881+%2B+100%29


d+=+sqrt%28181%29


d+=+13.4536240470737

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Answer:


The distance between the two points (-5, 2) and (4, -8) is exactly sqrt%28181%29 units


The approximate distance between the two points is about 13.4536240470737 units



So again,


Exact Distance: sqrt%28181%29 units


Approximate Distance: 13.4536240470737 units