Question

A lizard needs to stay a safe distance from a cactus. The diameter of the cactus is 12 inches. If the lizard is 8 inches from a point of tangency, find the direct distance between the lizard and the cactus (x). If necessary, round to the hundredths place.

Answer 1

We will use the Pythagorean theorem:
8² + 12² = c² 
64 + 144 = c²
c = √208 ≈ 14.42
14.42 - 12 = 2.42 in
The direct distance between the lizard and the cactus is 2.42 inches.