Answer: The correct option is (B) - 4 units.
Step-by-step explanation: Given that the points (-5, 7), (5, 7), (5, 1), and (-5, 1) are vertices of a rectangle.
We are to find the shortness of the width as compared to the length.
Since the adjacent sides of a rectangle makes the length and breadth of the rectangle, so the lengths of two adjacent sides are calculate using distance formula as follows:
the length of the line segment joining the points (-5, 7) and (5, 7) is

and the length of the line segment joining the points (5, 7) and (5, 1) is

So, the length of the rectangle is 6 units and breadth of the rectangle is 10 units.
Therefore, the width is shorter than the length by

Thus, (B) is the correct option.