What you’ll learn
Find horizontal and vertical distances.
Key idea
An axis-parallel segment's length is the absolute difference of the changing coordinates.
The shared coordinate does not measure segment length; do not add an endpoint unit, and follow the specified construction direction.
Worked example
Enter the exact value or ordered values in the format requested below.
Read the axis-parallel segment endpoints A and B. What is its length? Include units.
Marked coordinates: B=(-4, 0); A=(-4, -3).
- The points share their x-coordinate, so the segment is vertical.
- Its length is |0-(-3)|=3 units.
Answer: 3 units
Quick Check
Construct or select a graph that correctly represents the data or relationship in 'Find horizontal and vertical distances'.
Construct B on the right side of A(0,-4), exactly 1 units away along a horizontal segment. Choose the coordinate placement.