Final answer:
By applying the Pythagorean theorem to the distances jogged south and west, the joggers are approximately 9.434 miles apart.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out how far apart the two joggers are, we need to use the Pythagorean theorem because one jogger went south and the other went west, creating a right-angled triangle with their paths as the two perpendicular sides. The formula to find the distance (d) apart (which is the hypotenuse) is: d = √(a² + b²), where 'a' is the distance one jogger ran south, and 'b' is the distance the other jogger ran west.
Plugging in the values:
d = √(8² + 5²) = √(64 + 25) = √89
d is approximately equal to 9.434 miles, so the correct answer is A. Approximately 9.434 miles.