Point x and y are 12m north and 5m east respectively of point z. Calculate xy

1 answer

Using the Pythagorean theorem, we can calculate the length of the hypotenuse (xy) of a right triangle.

The horizontal distance between x and z is the same as the distance between y and z (5m), so we can draw a horizontal line connecting x and y, creating a right triangle with one leg measuring 12m (the distance between x and z) and the other leg measuring 5m (the distance between y and z).

Therefore, using the Pythagorean theorem:

xy² = (12m)² + (5m)²
xy² = 144m² + 25m²
xy² = 169m²

Taking the square root of both sides:

xy = √169m²
xy = 13m

Therefore, the distance between points x and y is 13m.