Distance Formula

In this section, we learn about something known as the distance formula. This formula allows us to find the distance between two points on the coordinate plane. It is a direct application of square roots and the Pythagorean theorem. The Pythagorean theorem tells us about the relationship between the legs in a right triangle. We want to begin by labeling the three legs in a right triangle as: leg a, leg b, and leg c. Leg c is the hypotenuse or leg that is opposite of the 90-degree angle. Our Pythagorean theorem states that leg a squared plus leg b squared is equal to leg c (hypotenuse) squared. We can use this formula along with our knowledge of square roots to derive the distance formula.