Final answer:
The distance walked does not necessarily equal the magnitude of displacement unless the path taken is a straight line without any changes in direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distance that you walk is not always equal to the magnitude of your displacement. Displacement is a vector quantity which means it has both magnitude and direction, while distance is a scalar quantity and only has magnitude. An example that supports this conclusion is walking in a circle; here, the distance you walk would be the circumference of the circle, but your displacement would be zero since you end up at the same point where you started.
Example of Displacement vs. Distance
Imagine a professor walking back and forth during a lecture. If the professor walks a total of 150 meters but ends up only 2 meters to the right from where she started, the distance traveled is 150 meters, but the displacement is only +2 meters with a magnitude of displacement of 2 meters.
When Distance Equals Magnitude of Displacement
Distance traveled is equal to the magnitude of displacement only when the path taken is a straight line without any change in direction.