Final answer:
The distance between point M and point N is 7 units.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the distance between two points on a coordinate plane, we can use the distance formula. The formula is:
Distance = sqrt((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2)
Here, point M is located at (-5, 1) and point N is located at (-5, 8). Substituting the values into the formula, we get:
Distance = sqrt((-5 - (-5))^2 + (8 - 1)^2)
Distance = sqrt(0 + 49)
Distance = sqrt(49)
Distance = 7 units