SAT Math : Distance Formula

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Distance Formula

Find the Distance of the line shown below:

Screen shot 2015 10 27 at 3.11.25 pm

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 13\)

\(\displaystyle 2\sqrt{5}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{53}\)

\(\displaystyle 53\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{13}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{53}\)

Explanation:

The distance formula is \(\displaystyle ^{\sqrt{(x_{1}-x_{2})^{2}+(y_{1}-y_{2})^{2}}}\). In the graph shown above the coordinates are \(\displaystyle (-5,8)\) and \(\displaystyle (2,10)\). When you plug the coordinates into the equation you get:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{(-5-2)^{2}+(8-10)^{2}}\), which then simplifies to \(\displaystyle \sqrt{(-7)^{2}+(2)^{2}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{49+4}=\sqrt{53}\), because \(\displaystyle 53\) is a prime number there is no need to simplify. 

Example Question #11 : Distance Formula

The endpoints of the diameter of a circle are located at (0,0) and (4, 5). What is the area of the circle?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 5\pi\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{5\pi}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle 9\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 41\pi\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{41\pi}{4}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{41\pi}{4}\)

Explanation:

First, we want to find the value of the diameter of the circle with the given endpoints. We can use the distance formula here:

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(x_2-x_1)^2 + (y_2-y_1)^2}=\sqrt{(4-0)^2 + (5-0)^2}=\sqrt{16 +25}=\sqrt{41}\)

If the diameter is \(\displaystyle \sqrt{41}\), then the radius is half of that, or \(\displaystyle \frac{\sqrt{41}}{2}\).

We can then plug that radius value into the formula for the area of a circle.

\(\displaystyle A=\pi r^2 = \pi \cdot (\frac{\sqrt{41}}{2})^2 = \frac{41\pi}{4}\)

Example Question #551 : Geometry

What is the distance between the origin and the point \(\displaystyle (\pi, \frac{\pi}{2})\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 3.14\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{2}\sqrt{5}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{4}\sqrt{5}\)

None of the given answers. 

\(\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{2}\sqrt{5}\)

Explanation:

The distance between two points \(\displaystyle (x_1, y_1)\) and \(\displaystyle (x_2, y_2)\) is given by the Distance Formula:

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2+(y_2 - y_1)^2}\)

Let \(\displaystyle (x_1, y_1) = (0,0)\) and \(\displaystyle (x_2, y_2) = (\pi, \frac{\pi}{2})\). Substitute these values into the Distance Formula.

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(\pi - 0)^2+(\frac{\pi}{2} - 0)^2} = \sqrt{\pi^2 + (\frac{\pi}{2})^2}=\sqrt{\pi^2 + \frac{\pi^2}{4}}\)

To simplify this square root, find a common denominator between the two terms.

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{\pi^2 + \frac{\pi^2}{4}}=\sqrt{\frac{4\pi^2}{4} + \frac{\pi^2}{4}}=\sqrt{\frac{5\pi^2}{4}}\)

Both 4 and \(\displaystyle \pi^2\) are perfect squares, so we can take their square roots to find

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{\frac{5\pi^2}{4}}=\frac{\pi}{2}\sqrt{5}\)

The distance between our two points is \(\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{2}\sqrt{5}\).

Example Question #11 : Distance Formula

One long line segment stretches from \(\displaystyle (0, 2)\) to \(\displaystyle (10, 12)\). Within that line segment is another, shorter segment that spans from \(\displaystyle (3, 5)\) to \(\displaystyle (9, 11)\). What is the distance between the two points on the shorter line segment? 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 5\sqrt{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 8.5\)

\(\displaystyle 6\sqrt{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{70}\)

\(\displaystyle 6\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 6\sqrt{2}\)

Explanation:

The distance between two points \(\displaystyle (x_1, y_1)\) and \(\displaystyle (x_2, y_2)\) is given by the following formula:

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2}\)

Let \(\displaystyle (x_1, y_1) = (3, 5)\) and let \(\displaystyle (x_2, y_2) = (9, 11)\). When we plug these two coordinates into the equation we get:

\(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(9 - 3)^2 + (11 - 5)^2} = \sqrt{6^2 + 6^2} = \sqrt{72} = \sqrt{2 \cdot 36} = \sqrt{2\cdot 6^2} = 6\sqrt{2}\)

Example Question #552 : Geometry

Find the distance from the center of the given circle to the point \(\displaystyle (7, 9)\).

\(\displaystyle (x-2)^2 + (y-3)^2 = 36\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{60}\)

\(\displaystyle 5\)

\(\displaystyle 11\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{61}\)

\(\displaystyle 6\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{61}\)

Explanation:

Remember that the general equation of a circle with center \(\displaystyle (h, k)\) and radius \(\displaystyle r\) is \(\displaystyle (x-h)^2 + (y-k)^2 = r^2\)

With this in mind, the center of our circle is \(\displaystyle (2, 3)\). To find the distance from this point to \(\displaystyle (7, 9)\), we can use the distance formula. 

\(\displaystyle d= \sqrt{(x_2-x_1)^2 + (y_2-y_2)^2} = d= \sqrt{(7-2)^2 + (9-3)^2} = \sqrt{5^2 + 6^2} = \sqrt{25+36} = \sqrt{61}\)

Example Question #553 : Geometry

The following points represent the vertices of a box. Find the length of the box's diagonal. 

\(\displaystyle (3, 1), (1, 7), (7, 7), (7, 1)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 3\sqrt{20}\)

\(\displaystyle 2\sqrt{15}\)

\(\displaystyle 4\)

\(\displaystyle 6\)

None of the given answers

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 2\sqrt{15}\)

Explanation:

To solve this problem let's choose two vertices that lie diagonally from one another. Let's choose \(\displaystyle (3, 1)\) and \(\displaystyle (7, 7)\)

We can plug these two points into the Distance Formula, and that will give us the length of the box's diagonal. 

\(\displaystyle d= \sqrt{(x_2-x_1)^2 + (y_2-y_2)^2} = \sqrt{(7-3)^2 + (7-1)^2} = \sqrt{4^2 + 6^2} = \sqrt{24+36} = \sqrt{60} = \sqrt{2^2 \cdot 15} = 2\sqrt{15}\)

Example Question #11 : Distance Formula

What is the length of the line between the points \(\displaystyle (6,3)\) and \(\displaystyle (-7,4)\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{171}\)

\(\displaystyle 13.66\)

\(\displaystyle -13.04\)

\(\displaystyle 13.04\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 13.04\)

Explanation:

Step 1: We need to recall the distance formula, which helps us calculate the length of a line between the two points.

The formula is: \(\displaystyle d=\sqrt{(x_2-x_1)^2+(y_2-y_1)^2}\), where \(\displaystyle d=\)distance and \(\displaystyle (x_1,y_1);(x_2,y_2)\) are my two points.

Step 2: We need to identify \(\displaystyle x_1,x_2,y_1,y_2\).

\(\displaystyle x_1=6, x_2=-7, y_1=3, y_2=4\)

Step 3: Substitute the values in step 2 into the formula:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{(-7-6)^2+(4-3)^2}\)

Step 4: Start evaluating the parentheses:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt {(-13)^2+1^2}\)

Step 5: Evaluate the exponents inside the square root

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{169+1}\)

Step 6: Add the inside:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{170}\)

Step 7: We need to evaluate \(\displaystyle \sqrt{170}\) in a calculator

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{170}\approx 13.038\approx13.04\)

Example Question #11 : Distance Formula

Give the length, in terms of \(\displaystyle N\), of a segment on the coordinate plane whose endpoints are \(\displaystyle (N,N)\)  and \(\displaystyle \left ( \frac{1}{2}, \frac{1}{2} \right )\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ 2 N^{2} - 2 N + \frac{1}{2} }\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ 2 N^{2} + 2 N + \frac{1}{2} }\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ 2 N^{2} + \frac{1}{2} }\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ 2 N^{2} - \frac{1}{2} }\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ 2 N^{2} + 2 N }\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ 2 N^{2} - 2 N + \frac{1}{2} }\)

Explanation:

The length of a segment with endpoints \(\displaystyle (x_{1}, y_{1})\) and \(\displaystyle (x_{2}, y_{2})\) can be calculated using the distance formula:

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{(x_{2}- x_{1})^{2} + (y_{2}- y_{1})^{2} }\)

Setting \(\displaystyle x_{2} = y_{2} = N\) and \(\displaystyle x_{1} = y_{1} = \frac{1}{2}\) and substituting:

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{ \left (N- \frac{1}{2}\right ) ^{2} + \left (N- \frac{1}{2}\right ) ^{2}}\)

The binomials can be rewritten using the perfect square trinomial pattern:

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{ \left [N^{2} - 2 \cdot N \cdot \frac{1}{2} + \left ( \frac{1}{2}\right ) ^{2} \right ] + \left [N^{2} - 2 \cdot N \cdot \frac{1}{2} + \left ( \frac{1}{2}\right ) ^{2} \right ] }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{\left ( N^{2} - N + \frac{1}{4} \right ) +\left ( N^{2} - N + \frac{1}{4} \right ) }\)

Simplify and collect like terms:

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{ N^{2} - N + \frac{1}{4}+ N^{2} - N + \frac{1}{4} }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{ N^{2} + N^{2} - N- N + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{ 2 N^{2} - 2 N + \frac{1}{2} }\)

Example Question #11 : How To Find The Length Of A Line With Distance Formula

In terms of \(\displaystyle N\), give the length of a segment on the coordinate plane with endpoints \(\displaystyle \left (- \frac{1}{4} , N \right )\) and \(\displaystyle \left (N, - \frac{1}{4} \right )\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}-N+\frac{1}{8}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}+ \frac{1}{8}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}+N+\frac{1}{8}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}- N}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}+ N}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}+N+\frac{1}{8}}\)

Explanation:

The length of a segment with endpoints \(\displaystyle (x_{1}, y_{1})\) and \(\displaystyle (x_{2}, y_{2})\) can be calculated using the distance formula:

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{(x_{2}- x_{1})^{2} + (y_{2}- y_{1})^{2} }\)

Setting \(\displaystyle x_{1} = y_{2} = -\frac{1}{4}\) and \(\displaystyle x_{2} = y_{1} = N\), and substituting:

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{ \left (N - \left (- \frac{1}{4} \right )\right ) ^{2} + \left ( - \frac{1}{4} - N \right ) ^{2}}\)

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{ \left (N + \frac{1}{4} \right ) ^{2} + \left ( - N - \frac{1}{4} \right ) ^{2}}\)

The binomials can be rewritten using the perfect square trinomial pattern:

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{ \left [N^{2}+ 2 \cdot N \cdot \frac{1}{4} + \left ( \frac{1}{4}\right ) ^{2} \right ] + \left [(-N)^{2} - 2 \cdot (-N) \cdot\left ( - \frac{1}{4}\right ) + \left ( - \frac{1}{4}\right ) ^{2} \right ] }\)

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{ \left ( N^{2}+ \frac{1}{2} N + \frac{1}{16} \right ) +\left ( N^{2}+ \frac{1}{2} N + \frac{1}{16} \right ) }\)

Simplify and collect like terms:

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{ N^{2}+ N^{2}+ \frac{1}{2} N + \frac{1}{2} N + \frac{1}{16} + \frac{1}{16} }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{2 N^{2}+ N + \frac{1}{8} }\)

Example Question #11 : Distance Formula

Give the length, in terms of \(\displaystyle N\), of a line segment on the coordinate plane whose endpoints are \(\displaystyle (N, N)\) and \(\displaystyle \left ( \frac{1}{3}, -\frac{1}{3} \right )\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}-\frac{4}{3}N+\frac{2}{9}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}+\frac{2}{9}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}-\frac{4}{3}N }\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}+\frac{4}{3}N }\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}+\frac{4}{3}N+\frac{2}{9}}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{2N^{2}+\frac{2}{9}}\)

Explanation:

The length of a segment with endpoints \(\displaystyle (x_{1},y_{1}) , (x_{2},y_{2})\) can be calculated using the distance formula 

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{(x_{2}-x_{1})^{2}+(y_{2}-y_{1})^{2} }\)

Substituting \(\displaystyle x_{1} = \frac{1}{3} ,y_{1} =-\frac{1}{3}, x_{2} = y_{2}= N\), and simplifying"

\(\displaystyle d = \sqrt{(x_{2}-x_{1})^{2}+(y_{2}-y_{1})^{2} }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{\left (N - \frac{1}{3}\right )^{2}+ \left (N - \left ( - \frac{1}{3} \right ) \right )^{2} }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{\left (N - \frac{1}{3}\right )^{2}+ \left (N + \frac{1}{3} \right ) ^{2} }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{ \left [ N^{2} - 2 \cdot N \cdot \frac{1}{3} + \left ( \frac{1}{3}\right )^{2} \right ]+ \left [ N ^{2} + 2 \cdot N \cdot \frac{1}{3} + \left ( \frac{1}{3}\right )^{2} \right ] }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{ \left ( N^{2} - \frac{2}{3}N + \frac{1}{9} \right ) + \left ( N^{2} + \frac{2}{3}N + \frac{1}{9} \right ) }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{ N^{2} + N^{2} - \frac{2}{3}N + \frac{2}{3}N + \frac{1}{9} + \frac{1}{9} }\)

\(\displaystyle = \sqrt{ 2N^{2} +\frac{2} {9} }\)

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