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Determine the length of the line segment with the end points at (9, 6) and (-12, 6).

User Brissmyr
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1 Answer

11 votes

Answer:

Explanation:

You are given two points whose y values are the same. There is no need to use the distance formula. The x values alone will give you the length of the line.

to get to the y axis you have to go 12 units to the right.

To get from the y axis to 9, you have to go 9 more units to the right.

The total is 9 + 12 = 21

If you insist to see this done with the formula, it would look like this.

d = sqrt( y2 - y1)^2 + (x2 - x1)^2 )

y2 = 6

y1 = 6

x2 = -12

x1 = 9

d = sqrt ( (6 - 6)^2 + (-12 - 9)^2 )

d = sqrt( 0 + ( -21 )^2 )

d = sqrt( 441)

d = 21 the same thing you got just be reasoning it out.

The first method works only if either both xs are the same or both ys are the same.

User Radu Damian
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