What is the distance between the points $(-18,7)$ and $(-6,7)$?
To find the distance between two points \(A = (-18, 7)\) and \(B = (-6, 7)\) in a 2D Cartesian plane, we first observe the coordinates of the points. The points are given as \((x_1, y_1) = (-18, 7)\) and \((x_2, y_2) = (-6, 7)\). Since both points have the same y-coordinate (\(y=7\)), they lie on a horizontal line.
For two points \((x_1, y_1)\) and \((x_2, y_1)\) lying on a horizontal line, the distance \(d\) between them is simply the absolute difference of their x-coordinates:
\[d = |x_2 - x_1|\]
Substituting the given values \(x_1 = -18\) and \(x_2 = -6\) into the formula:
\[d = |-6 - (-18)|\]
\[d = |-6 + 18|\]
\[d = |12|\]
\[d = 12\]
The distance between the points \((-18, 7)\) and \((-6, 7)\) is 12 units.
The distance between the points \((-18, 7)\) and \((-6, 7)\) is \(\boxed{12}\) units.
Imagine you are looking at a floor plan of a room. A table is placed along a wall, with one end at a coordinate of \(x = -18\) feet and the other at \(x = -6\) feet, both against a wall at \(y = 7\). To determine the length of the table, you calculate the distance between these two points using the horizontal distance formula, which shows the table is 12 feet long. This simple calculation helps in interior design to ensure furniture fits correctly in a space.