Final answer:
The distance between two points on a coordinate plane can be found using the distance formula, which is derived from the Pythagorean theorem. In this case, the distance between the points (-5, -7) and (-5, 1) is 8 units.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distance between two points on a coordinate plane can be found using the distance formula. The distance formula is derived from the Pythagorean theorem. The formula is:
Distance = sqrt((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2)
In this case, the coordinates of the two points are (-5, -7) and (-5, 1). Plugging these values into the formula, we get:
Distance = sqrt((-5 - (-5))^2 + (1 - (-7))^2)
Distance = sqrt((0)^2 + (8)^2)
Distance = sqrt(0 + 64)
Distance = sqrt(64)
Distance = 8 units