To find the distance between the points \((-10, -8)\) and \((16, -8)\), we can use the distance formula, which is given by:
\[ d = \sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2} \]
In this case, the coordinates of the two points are:
- Point 1 \((x_1, y_1) = (-10, -8)\)
- Point 2 \((x_2, y_2) = (16, -8)\)
Now we can plug in the coordinates into the distance formula:
\[ d = \sqrt{(16 - (-10))^2 + (-8 - (-8))^2} \]
Calculating each part:
-
For \(x\) coordinates: \[ x_2 - x_1 = 16 - (-10) = 16 + 10 = 26 \]
-
For \(y\) coordinates: \[ y_2 - y_1 = -8 - (-8) = -8 + 8 = 0 \]
Now substituting back into the distance formula:
\[ d = \sqrt{(26)^2 + (0)^2} = \sqrt{676 + 0} = \sqrt{676} = 26 \]
Therefore, the distance between the points \((-10, -8)\) and \((16, -8)\) is \(\boxed{26}\) units.