Ashley decides to go for a walk. She walks 5 blocks west, 2 blocks south, 5 blocks east and finally 2 blocks north. What is the total distance traveled?

Answer: 14 blocks.

The distance traveled is just the sum of the distances walked: 5 blocks + 2 blocks + 5 blocks + 2 blocks = 14 blocks.

Observe that distances are absolute magnitudes (they have not direction).

Nevertheless, Ashley ends up in the same spot where she started, so the displacement is 0. The displacement is the difference between the final and the initial position, so given that Ashley ended in the same spot this difference is 0.

While Ashley walked 14 blocks she ended in the same place making a rectangular path.