To find the distance between the points $(-6, -2)$ and $(2, 7)$, you can use the distance formula:

$d = \sqrt{{(x_2 - x_1)}^2 + {(y_2 - y_1)}^2}$

Substitute the given points $(-6, -2)$ and $(2, 7)$ into the formula:

$d = \sqrt{{(2 - (-6))}^2 + {(7 - (-2))}^2}$

Simplify the expression:

$d = \sqrt{{(2 + 6)}^2 + {(7 + 2)}^2}$ $d = \sqrt{{8}^2 + {9}^2}$ $d = \sqrt{64 + 81}$ $d = \sqrt{145}$

Now, take the square root of 145:

$d \approx 12.0$

So, the distance between the points $(-6, -2)$ and $(2, 7)$ is approximately 12.0 units.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are 5 related questions to consider:

1. How would you find the midpoint between these two points?
2. What is the slope of the line passing through these points?
3. Can you determine the equation of the line that passes through these points?
4. What is the distance between points $(1, 2)$ and $(4, 6)$?
5. How does the distance formula relate to the Pythagorean theorem?

Tip: When working with the distance formula, always double-check your arithmetic operations to ensure accuracy.