Definition
Distance
Distance tells how far apart positions are or how long a chosen path is.
What it means
Distance answers “How far?” On a number line or between two points, measure the size of the gap. For travel, the route can be longer than the straight-line gap.
Remember it
Distance is the size of the gap, so it is never negative.
Example
On a number line, the points −3 and 5 are 8 units apart because |5 − (−3)| = 8.
Watch for
A displacement can include direction; distance gives a nonnegative length.
Common mix-up
Do not keep a negative sign from subtraction when finding distance—the result is a length.
Exact meaning
Distance is a nonnegative measure of separation between positions or the length of a specified path. In geometry, when no path is stated, it usually means the shortest straight-line length.