What term describes distance measured in terms of cost or time rather than physical space?

• A. Absolute Distance
• B. Relative Distance
• C. Euclidean Distance
• D. Spatial Distance

Answer: (B)

Distance measured in terms of cost or time focuses on practical connectivity rather than just how far apart places are on a map. It accounts for travel time, monetary cost, terrain, and the transport network, so two locations can be close in physical space but far in effort, or far apart in space but quick to reach. In GIS and geography, this is often represented as cost-distance or travel-time distance using a friction surface, which changes how we think about accessibility and interaction. That idea is described by relative distance. The other terms describe physical separation: absolute distance and Euclidean distance mean straight-line space between points, while spatial distance is a broad, generic notion of distance in space.