Answer:
9.4 miles
Step-by-step explanation:
We can assume that if these joggers run 8 miles north, consecutively 5 miles west, these lengths form legs of a right angle triangle, from which we have to determine the hypotenuse of the triangle provided it would lead to the shortest route possible;
Knowing this is a right angle triangle, let us apply Pythagorean Theorem to solve for the length of this hypotenuse, which we can assign as x;
8^2 + 5^2 = x^2 ⇒ square 8 and 5,
64 + 25 = x^2 ⇒ Combine like terms,
x^2 = 89 ⇒ Take square root on either side
Solution; Shortest Distance ⇒ length of 9.4 miles
