The budget to construct the fence parallel to side AB, using the distance formula and a cost of $52.25 per unit, is approximately $466.85. The segment begins at A and ends at B.
To find the length of the segment parallel to side AB in the triangle with coordinates A (-5, -2), B (-1, 6), and C (-8, 8), we'll use the distance formula. For side AB:
![\[ \text{Distance}_(AB) = √((-1 - (-5))^2 + (6 - (-2))^2) \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/y4rdl8jwrrzesrutq7x2zphrag4lknby1f.png)
![\[ = √(4^2 + 8^2) \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/zxq9fi9jj0we19et1g5cgunimnrbcf3iqx.png)
![\[ = √(16 + 64) \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/pep6rpeqjo9ez1q5msg4eckser8kfb41x4.png)
![\[ = √(80) \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/xefsg7u09te8liabcd6qy119py60g201ou.png)
Now, the cost of constructing the fence is $52.25 per unit. Therefore, the budget needed is given by:
![\[ \text{Budget} = \text{Cost per unit} * \text{Distance}_(AB) \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/raet6iakg0efpgvlvbk87q1n98iabxh8qj.png)
![\[ = 52.25 * √(80) \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/mmwj5btk92zuvqwrz1nvyfkg8cbxxakzcg.png)
![\[ \approx 52.25 * 8.94 \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/n41b4udvzf8vznjxd4rixrr270myyviz6n.png)
![\[ \approx 466.845 \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/qdrdgo50o79jacdhas1cloec74ziup8fmw.png)
So, the budget needed to construct the fence along the segment parallel to side AB is approximately $466.85.
**Beginning Point and Ending Point:**
The beginning point is A (-5, -2), and the ending point is B (-1, 6) because we are constructing the fence along the segment parallel to side AB.