Position/Displacement/Distance (1/3)
This is a graphical picture of the math on the previous slide. Note that we can represent each position as an arrow going from the 0 point of our reference frame to the position we're interested in. Norman is the brown arrow in Oklahoma's reference frame but the blue arrow in Texas's frame. Davis is the green arrow according to Oklahoma but the orange arrow according to Texas. In either case though, the displacement, the actual miles between the two towns and the direction from Norman to Davis, is of course constant (the pink arrow.) Position is arbitrary depending on your reference frame, but all reference frames must agree on displacement.
Position/Displacement/Distance (1/3)
This is a graphical picture of the math on the previous slide. Note that we can represent each position as an arrow going from the 0 point of our reference frame to the position we're interested in. Norman is the brown arrow in Oklahoma's reference frame but the blue arrow in Texas's frame. Davis is the green arrow according to Oklahoma but the orange arrow according to Texas. In either case though, the displacement, the actual miles between the two towns and the direction from Norman to Davis, is of course constant (the pink arrow.) Position is arbitrary depending on your reference frame, but all reference frames must agree on displacement.