SOLUTION: The coordinates of point R are (-3,2) and the coordinates of point T are (4,1). What is the length of RT?

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Question 550447: The coordinates of point R are (-3,2) and the coordinates of point T are (4,1). What is the length of RT?
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Note: is the first point . So this means that x%5B1%5D=-3 and y%5B1%5D=2.
Also, is the second point . So this means that x%5B2%5D=4 and y%5B2%5D=1.


d=sqrt%28%28x%5B1%5D-x%5B2%5D%29%5E2%2B%28y%5B1%5D-y%5B2%5D%29%5E2%29 Start with the distance formula.


d=sqrt%28%28-3-4%29%5E2%2B%282-1%29%5E2%29 Plug in x%5B1%5D=-3, x%5B2%5D=4, y%5B1%5D=2, and y%5B2%5D=1.


d=sqrt%28%28-7%29%5E2%2B%282-1%29%5E2%29 Subtract 4 from -3 to get -7.


d=sqrt%28%28-7%29%5E2%2B%281%29%5E2%29 Subtract 1 from 2 to get 1.


d=sqrt%2849%2B%281%29%5E2%29 Square -7 to get 49.


d=sqrt%2849%2B1%29 Square 1 to get 1.


d=sqrt%2850%29 Add 49 to 1 to get 50.


d=5%2Asqrt%282%29 Simplify the square root.


So our answer is d=5%2Asqrt%282%29


Which approximates to d=7.071


So the distance between the two points is approximately 7.071 units.


So the exact length of RT is 5%2Asqrt%282%29 units which is approximately 7.071 units.