To find the distance between points (-6, -8) and (5, -12), the following steps were used.

Is the distance correct? If the distance is not correct, where was the FIRST mistake made?

Step 1: d= √(-6-5)^2 + [-8 - (-12)]^2

Step 2: d =√(-11)^2 + (4)^2

Step 3: d=√(-7)^2

Step 4: d= √49

Step 5: d= 7

Responses

There are no mistakes. The distance of 7 is correct.
There are no mistakes. The distance of 7 is correct.

In step 3, they got -7 by adding -11 and 4, but they should have simplified the exponents before any addition was done.
In step 3, they got -7 by adding -11 and 4, but they should have simplified the exponents before any addition was done.

In step 2, they should have
in the second parenthesis.
In step 2, they should have 20 squared in the second parenthesis.

The distance formula has subtraction in between the parenthesis, so step 1 should be
.

In step 1, there should be a subtraction sign between the parenthesis.