problem: What is the number of units in the distance from the origin to the point $(-8,6)$ in a coordinate system?
solution: We use the distance formula: $\sqrt{(-8 - 0)^2 + (6 - 0)^2} = \sqrt{64 + 36} = \boxed{10}$.
  
  - OR -
  
  We note that the origin, the point $(-8, 6)$, and the point $(-8, 0)$ form a right triangle with legs of length 6 and 8. This is a Pythagorean triple, so the length of the hypotenuse must be $\boxed{10}$.