Question

Determine the distance between −18.26
and −2.45
on a number line.
1. 20.71
2. −20.71
3. 15.81
4. −15.81

Answer 1

To find the distance between two numbers on a number line, you can use the formula:

\[
\text{Distance} = |a - b|
\]

where \( a \) and \( b \) are the two numbers. Here, we have \( a = -18.26 \) and \( b = -2.45 \).

So, we can calculate:

\[
\text{Distance} = |-18.26 - (-2.45)| = |-18.26 + 2.45| = |-18.26 + 2.45| = |-15.81|
\]

The distance is then:

\[
|-15.81| = 15.81
\]

Thus, the distance between -18.26 and -2.45 is **15.81**.

The correct answer is option **3. 15.81**.