Question

A civil engineer is drawing a plan for the location and length of a new underground sewer pipe on a coordinate grid. The pipe on the plan will run from point N(a, -2) to point P(1, b) on the coordinate grid. Which expression represents the shortest distance between N and P in units? *

Answer 1

Answer:

√(1-a)²+(b+2)²

Step-by-step explanation:

If the pipe on the plan runs from point N(a, -2) to point P(1, b), the expression that represents the shortest distance between N and P in units, is expressed using the formula;

D = √(x₂-x₁)²+(y₂-y₁)²

Given the coordinates  N(a, -2) and P(1, b);

x₁ = a, y₁ = -2, x₂ = 1 and y₂ = b

NP = √(1-a)²+(b+2)²

Hence the expression that represents the shortest distance between N and P in units is √(1-a)²+(b+2)² units