Question

On a town map, each unit of the coordinate plane represents 1 mile. Three branches of a bank are located at A(−3, 1), B(3, 4), and C(3, −2). A bank employee drives from Branch A to Branch B and then drives halfway to Branch C before getting stuck in traffic. What is the minimum total distance the employee may have driven before getting stuck in traffic? Round to the nearest tenth of a mile if necessary.

The minimum total distance the employee may have driven before getting stuck in traffic is ____ miles.

Answer 1

9.7 miles

Explanation:

The shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line

The distance from point A to point B is

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

d = sqrt( ( 3 - -3)^2 + ( 4-1) ^2)

d = sqrt( ( 6)^2 + ( 3) ^2)

d = sqrt(36+9)

d = sqrt(45)

d =6.7 to the nearest tenth

The distance from point B to point C is

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

d = sqrt( ( 3 - 3)^2 + ( -2-4) ^2)

d = sqrt( ( 0)^2 + ( -6) ^2)

d = sqrt(36)

d = 6

But They only made it half way so 1/2 (6) =3

Add the distances together

6.7+3 = 9.7 is the minimum distance