Question

when you use the distance formula does the order in which you subtract the x and y coordinates matter explain

Answer 1

No it does not

as long as you subtract the x's from the x's and y's from the y's

consider
$D=\sqrt{(x_2-x_1)^2+(y_2-y_1)^2}$
and
$D=\sqrt{(x_1-x_2)^2+(y_1-y_2)^2}$

alright, lets say x2-x1=z and x1-x2=-z
also y2-y1=t and y1-y2=-t

if we subsituted then we get

$D=\sqrt{(z)^2+(t)^2}$
and
$D=\sqrt{(-z)^2+(-t)^2}$

which simplifies to

$D=\sqrt{z^2+t^2}$
and
$D=\sqrt{z^2+t^2}$

the same thing
because the square of a negative becomes positive
so it doesn't matter