Question: Plot $-0.4$ and $-5.5$ on the number line below.
Find the distance between $-0.4$ and $-5.5$.
1. **State the problem:** We need to find the distance between the points $-0.4$ and $-5.5$ on the number line.
2. **Formula used:** The distance between two points $a$ and $b$ on a number line is given by the absolute value of their difference:
$$\text{Distance} = |a - b|$$
3. **Apply the formula:** Substitute $a = -0.4$ and $b = -5.5$:
$$\text{Distance} = |-0.4 - (-5.5)| = |-0.4 + 5.5|$$
4. **Simplify inside the absolute value:**
$$|-0.4 + 5.5| = |5.1|$$
5. **Evaluate the absolute value:**
$$|5.1| = 5.1$$
6. **Conclusion:** The distance between $-0.4$ and $-5.5$ on the number line is $5.1$ units.