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Math: Distance Between Two Points - Tutorial
This section will cover the fundamentals of the two methods of finding the distance between two points.
The Counting Method
Example 1:
Find the distance between points A and B.
There are 3 units.
This means that points A and B are 3 units apart.
Example 2:
Find the distance between points C and D.
There are 6 units.
This means that points C and D are 6 units apart.
Use the formula method for points that are on different horizontal and vertical lines.
Squaring numbers under the radical sign changes negative numbers into positive numbers. Answers will need to be positive since distance can only be positive.
The Formula Method
Example 1: Find the distance between points A and D.
Example 2: Find the distance between points B and C.
Begin by finding the coordinates for both points. The coordinate are:
Example 3: Find the distance between points A and C.
Use your calculator to find the square root of 65.
Counting the units between two points in a coordinate plane is the simplest way to count distance.
This method works best when the points are conveniently place on the same horizontal line or the same vertical line.
