Question

The points (-3, -1) and (-3, -5) are adjacent vertices of a rectangle. Two of the sides of the rectangle have a length of 8 units. What is the approximate length of a diagonal of the rectangle?

Answer 1

4√5 ≈ 8.944 units

Explanation:

The given points are on a vertical line, separated by 4 units (from y=-5 to -1). The Pythagorean theorem tells you the length of the diagonal is ...

d² = 4² + 8² = 80

d = √80 = 4√5 ≈ 8.944 . . . units

The length of a diagonal is 4√5, about 8.944 units.