Math Definitions - Letter D
Chapters
Displacement (Distance)
Definition of Displacement (Distance)
Displacement measures your straight-line distance from the starting point.
For example, if you walk in a complete circuit, ending right back where you started, you would have a displacement of \(0\) m, even though you had walked a long way.
The picture shows the path Gus the snail takes during his training sessions for the world land-speed record. His displacement is represented by the straight line from one end of the path to the other. The distance he covers is much larger than the distance indicated by his displacement.
Note: Displacement is actually a vector quantity, so we should quote a direction as well as a magnitude for displacement. The direction of Gus' displacement is indicated by the arrow in the picture.
Description
The aim of this dictionary is to provide definitions to common mathematical terms. Students learn a new math skill every week at school, sometimes just before they start a new skill, if they want to look at what a specific term means, this is where this dictionary will become handy and a go-to guide for a studen
Audience
Year 1 to Year 12 students
Learning Objectives
Learn common math terms starting with letter D
Author: Subject Coach
Added on: 6th Feb 2018
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