Which term means farther from the point of attachment?

• A. distal
• B. proximal
• C. superior
• D. inferior

Answer: (A)

Distal describes a position that is farther from the point where a limb attaches to the body. For limbs, that attachment point is typically the trunk, so the hand and fingers are farther from the trunk than the elbow or wrist, respectively. In other words, distal means farther from the attachment point, while proximal means closer to it. Superior means toward the head, and inferior means toward the feet, which are about vertical direction rather than distance from the attachment. Since the question asks for the term that means farther from the point of attachment, distal is the correct choice. For example, the toes are distal to the ankle, and the fingers are distal to the wrist.