Final answer:
The distance between the points (-1,3) and (5,1) is calculated using the distance formula, which is √((x2 - x1)^² + (y2 - y1)^²), resulting in approximately 6.32 units.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the distance between two points on the Cartesian plane, we use the distance formula, which is derived from the Pythagorean theorem. The formula is:
d = √((x2 - x1)^² + (y2 - y1)^²)
For the points (-1, 3) and (5, 1), we substitute the coordinates into the formula:
d = √((5 - (-1))^² + (1 - 3)^²)
d = √((6)^² + (-2)^²)
d = √(36 + 4)
d = √40
d ≈ 6.32 units
The distance between the points (-1,3) and (5,1) is approximately 6.32 units.