Answer:
The straight line between the two towns is about C) 18.8 miles long.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distance between the two towns can be represented as a right triangle, with the distance north being one leg, the distance west being another leg, and the straight ditance being the hypotenuse.
Let's use Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the length of the hypotenuse. The theorem is a² + b² = c². In words, the sum of the squares of the two legs is equal to the square of the hypotenuse.
8² + 17² = c²
64 + 289 = c²
353 = c²
18.8 = c
The straight line between the two towns is about 18.8 miles long.
