Final answer:
The amplitude of a wave is calculated by measuring the vertical distance between its peak and trough and dividing it by 2. For a wave with a peak at (-5, 2.5) and a trough at (-1.7, -4.5), the amplitude is 3.5 units.
Step-by-step explanation:
The amplitude of a wave is defined as the maximum displacement of the medium from its equilibrium position. In the case of the given wave with a peak at (-5, 2.5) and a trough at (-1.7, -4.5), we can calculate the amplitude by finding the vertical distance between the peak and the trough and then dividing by 2. The peak represents the highest point of the wave, whereas the trough represents the lowest point.
The distance between the peak and trough is the absolute difference between their y-coordinates, which is |2.5 - (-4.5)| = 7 units. Therefore, the amplitude of the wave, which is half of this distance, is 7 / 2 = 3.5 units.