What is the distance between -6 and 8 on a number line

Answer 1

The distance between n and m on a number line is | n-m |

| -6 - 8 | = | -14 | = 14

or, one could reverse the assignments of n and m:

| 8 - (-6) | = | 14 | = 14

The absolute value sign is essential for (non-directional) distances on the number line.