The distance of ( - 4, 7) from y-axis is :

Step 1: Understand the coordinate system

In a Cartesian coordinate system, a point is represented by its coordinates $(x, y)$, where $x$ is the horizontal distance from the $y$ -axis and $y$ is the vertical distance from the $x$ -axis. The $y$ -axis is the vertical line where the $x$ -coordinate is always $0$.

Step 2: Identify the given point

We are given the point $P$ with coordinates $(-4, 7)$. Here, the $x$ -coordinate is $-4$ and the $y$ -coordinate is $7$.

Step 3: Determine distance from y-axis

The distance of any point $(x, y)$ from the $y$ -axis is the absolute value of its $x$ -coordinate. This is because distance is always a non-negative value.

Step 4: Calculate the distance

Substituting the $x$ -coordinate of the given point, which is $-4$, into the formula, we get the distance as $|-4|$, which simplifies to $4$.

More from this chapter

• The x-coordinate of the point which lies on the line represented by 3x - y - 1 = 0 and whose y-coordinate is 5, is:
• Find the distance between the points (1, 2) and (4, 6).
• Show that the points (1, 7), (4, 2), (-1, -1) and (-4, 4) are the vertices of a square.
• Find the equations of the lines parallel to axes and passing through ( -2, 3).
• In the Cartesian coordinate plane shown, plot the points A(2,3), B(-2,-1), and C(2,-3), and connect them in order A→ B→ C. Then find the area of ABC.
• Find the distance between the points (3, 4) and (-3, -4).

All Orienting Yourself: The Use of Coordinates solutions →