Distance on the Coordinate Plane
Free to teach as-is — the teacher guide, student handout, and slides are included.
Free — we'll email you an access link. Google Docs format.
Objective
I can apply the Pythagorean Theorem to find the distance between two points on a coordinate plane.
Part 1 of 4
Warm-up video
IXL · 4:06
We don't generate video — this one is by IXL on YouTube. The practice questions and exit ticket below were drafted by AI for this objective, and every question is editable in the teacher guide.
Part 2 of 4
Key concepts
3 concepts
- 1
The distance between two points can be found by drawing a right triangle and using the Pythagorean theorem.
- 2
The general distance formula is d = √ (x₂ - x₁)² + (y₂ - y₁)² , where d is the distance between the points (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂).
- 3
When using the distance formula, be careful to correctly substitute the values and remember that subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number.
Part 3 of 4
Practice
10 questions
What is the first step in finding the distance between two points on a coordinate plane using the Pythagorean Theorem?
How do you find the horizontal distance between two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) on a coordinate plane?
Part 4 of 4
Exit ticket
Quick comprehension check
“Find the distance between the points (1, 5) and (4, 9). Show all steps.”
Sample answer included in the free materials
Get the materials
Teacher guide, student handout, and slides — free, in Google Docs format
Teacher Guide
Complete lesson plan with answer keys and alternate activities
Student Handout
Printable worksheet
Slides
Ready to present
We'll ask for your email to send your access link — nothing else.
Teaching a group at a different level?
Where are your students right now? We'll rebuild this lesson to match — including the teacher guide, student handout, and slides, saved to your Google Drive.
Adapt This Lesson

