In earlier grades you saw distance as how far something travels. Here the skill is pinned down: measure along the path, leg by leg.
A walker heads 40 m east along a sidewalk, then turns and walks 30 m back west. How much ground did the walker cover? Every leg counts: 40 m out plus 30 m back makes 70 m of walked path.
That whole-path length is called the distance traveled: the length of the whole path the object actually followed. To calculate it, add the length of every leg of the journey, whatever direction each leg points.
A dog dashes 25 m north, then 15 m south, then 10 m north again. What total distance does the dog run?
Write down the values in the question:
legs of 25 m, 15 m, and 10 m
Write down the fact:
every leg adds to the path, whatever its direction
Add:
25 + 15 + 10 = 50
distance = 50 m
A shopper walks 60 m east along a sidewalk, then 20 m west. What distance does the shopper cover, in meters?
A swimmer crosses a 25 m pool and swims straight back to the starting wall. What distance does the swimmer cover, in meters?
A warehouse robot rolls 12 m forward, 5 m backward, then 3 m forward. What distance does the robot cover, in meters?
A delivery cyclist rides 150 m east, then 150 m west, then 50 m east. What distance does the cyclist ride, in meters?
A security guard walks one complete loop around a rectangular building 90 m long and 60 m wide. What distance does the guard walk, in meters?
A bee flies from its hive to a flower 2.5 m away and straight back, and repeats this round trip 4 times in total. What distance does the bee fly, in meters?