Answer: 8.5 units approximately
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Work Shown:
d = distance between (-3,1) and (5,-2)
Alternatively, you can plot the two points on the same xy grid. Then form a right triangle with the two points as the endpoints of the hypotenuse. Use of the pythagorean theorem will result in getting the same approximate distance. The distance formula is effectively the same as the pythagorean theorem, but just in a different form.