Question

select the correct answer. fernando is using the distance formula to find the length, d, of the line segment. his work is shown on the graph. graph omitted $d = \sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2}$ what mistake did he make? \bigcirc he used a radical to find d. \bigcirc he subtracted the wrong coordinates to find the distance of the vertical leg. \bigcirc he squared the distance terms. \bigcirc he subtracted the wrong coordinates to find the distance of the horizontal leg.

Explanation:

First, identify the endpoints of the segment: $(-2, -1)$ and $(3, 3)$.

1. For the horizontal leg: The correct calculation is $3 - (-2) = 5$, but Fernando wrote $4 - (-1)$, which uses incorrect $x$-coordinates instead of the correct ones.
2. For the vertical leg: The correct calculation is $3 - (-1) = 4$, which matches Fernando's work here.
3. The other options are wrong: the distance formula does require a radical and squaring the terms, so those are not mistakes.

Answer:

He subtracted the wrong coordinates to find the distance of the horizontal leg.