5 POINTS PLEASE HELP

Alan found the distance between point A(-8,-4) and point B(3,-4), his work is shown below.

-8 to the y-axis=8 units

3 to the y-axis = 3 units

(-8) - (3) = 5 units from A to B

What error did Alan make? What is the actual distnace from point A to point B?