Final answer:
In distance methods, species with the least genetic distance between them are assumed to be closer relatives.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the distance methods, species with the least genetic distance between them are assumed to be **closer** relatives. This is because species that are closely related tend to have more genetic similarities. For example, if we compare species D and A, we would expect them to share more genetic similarities with each other than with species A and B. This pattern holds true for the other comparisons as well. The genetic analysis would likely find that species D and E share more genetic similarities with each other than with species A and B, and vice versa.