Solving this problem needs the distance formula of point to a line.
The formula is:
distance = | a x + b y + c | / √ (a^2 + b^2)
So we are given the equation: y = 2 x + 4
Rewriting this would be: y – 2 x – 4 = 0 -> a = -2, b = 1, c = -4
We are also given the points:
(-4, 11) = (x, y)
Plugging it in the distance formula at points (x, y):
distance = | -2 * -4 + 1 * 11 + -4 | / √ [(- 2)^2 + (1)^2]
= 15 / √ (5)
= 6.7
So the tree is approximately 6.7 feet away from the zip line.