A lizard needs to stay a safe distance from a cactus. The diameter of the cactus is 12 inches. If the lizard is 8 inches from a point of tangency, find the direct distance between the lizard and the cactus (x). If necessary, round to the hundredths place.
We will use the Pythagorean theorem: 8² + 12² = c² 64 + 144 = c² c = √208 ≈ 14.42 14.42 - 12 = 2.42 in The direct distance between the lizard and the cactus is 2.42 inches.
