Final answer:
The distance measured using GPS is a scalar quantity, characterized by its magnitude alone without a direction, unlike a vector quantity that requires both magnitude and direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distance from home to MiraCosta measured using GPS is an example of a scalar quantity. This is because it represents the magnitude, or how much of the distance, without accounting for the direction.
In contrast, a vector quantity would require both magnitude and direction to be fully described. Examples of vector quantities include displacement, velocity, and force which can all be represented as arrows illustrating both magnitude and direction.
Scalars, such as distance or temperature, are quantities with magnitude but no specified direction. Meanwhile, displacement, which includes information about direction, is a vector.