Distance on the real line: Determine the distance between -2 and 5 on the real line. Then determine the distance from -2 to 5 and the distance from 5 to -2.

For the distance, we need the absolute value of the difference of these values:

Note that we get the same result if we subtract in the opposite order:

Finally, the directed distance from -2 to 5 is 5-(-2) = 7.
The directed distance from 5 to -2 is -2 - (5) = -7.

Test Problem: Find the directed distance from 6 to -4.

a) -2

b) 2

c) -10

d) 10