Question

How do you find the distance between point A(-3, 5) and point B(4, -6) in the coordinate plane?

Answer 1

The distance AB can be calculated by applying the theorem of Pythagoras in the triangle ABC, where C is the point of coordinates `(-3, -6)`.

`AB^2 = AC^2 + BC^2`

`AC = 5 + 6 = 11` and `BC = 3 + 4 = 7`

Therefore, `AB^2 = 11^2 + 7^2 = 121 + 49 = 170` `=>` `AB = sqrt 170`