Signed distance function

Okay kiddo, so you know what distance is right? It's the space between two things. Imagine you're standing in front of a tree. You can measure how far away you are from the tree by counting your steps, right? That's distance.

Now, let's talk about signed distance function. It's like distance, but it can tell us not only the space between two things, but also which side of something we are on. Let's say you're standing in front of a wall. You can measure the distance between you and the wall, but you also know that you're on one side of the wall, and someone else might be on the other side.

A signed distance function is a special kind of equation that can tell us both the distance between two things and which side of something we are on. It's like having a map that not only shows us how far we are from our destination, but also which direction we need to go.

Sometimes, people use signed distance functions to make cool things like computer graphics and simulations. They can use these equations to create virtual objects that look and behave like real ones. Pretty neat, huh?