Find the Distance Between Two Points (1,-7) , (-3,-8)

$(1, - 7)$ , $(- 3, - 8)$

Step 1

Use the distance formula to determine the distance between the two points.

$Distance = \sqrt{{(x_{2} - x_{1})}^{2} + {(y_{2} - y_{1})}^{2}}$

Step 2

Substitute the actual values of the points into the distance formula.

$\sqrt{{((- 3) - 1)}^{2} + {((- 8) - (- 7))}^{2}}$

Step 3

Simplify.

Subtract $1$ from $- 3$ .

$\sqrt{{(- 4)}^{2} + {((- 8) - (- 7))}^{2}}$

Raise $- 4$ to the power of $2$ .

$\sqrt{16 + {((- 8) - (- 7))}^{2}}$

Multiply $- 1$ by $- 7$ .

$\sqrt{16 + {(- 8 + 7)}^{2}}$

Add $- 8$ and $7$ .

$\sqrt{16 + {(- 1)}^{2}}$

Raise $- 1$ to the power of $2$ .

$\sqrt{16 + 1}$

Add $16$ and $1$ .

$\sqrt{17}$

Step 4

The result can be shown in multiple forms.

Exact Form:

$\sqrt{17}$

Decimal Form:

$4.12310562 \dots$

Step 5