Question

Find the distance between points P(9,6) and Q(3,2) to the nearest tenth

Answer 1

The answer would be 7.2

Answer 2

`\large \boxed{7.2}`

Explanation:

You could use the distance formula to calculate the length of PQ. I prefer a visual approach, because it requires less memorization.

Draw a vertical line from P and a horizontal line from Q until they intersect at R (9, 2).

Then you have a right triangle PQR, and you can use Pythagoras' theorem to calculate PQ.

`\begin{array}{rcl}PQ^(2) & = & PR^(2) + QR^(2)\\& = & 4^(2) + 6^(2)\\ & = & 16 + 36\\& = & 52\\PQ& = & √(52)\\& = & \mathbf{7.2}\\\end{array}\\\text{The distance between P and Q is } $\large \boxed{\mathbf{7.2}}$}`