question regarding metric spaces let X be the surface of the earth for any two points on the earth surface. let d(a,b) be the least time needed to travel from a to b.is this the metric on X? kindly explain each step and logic, specially for these two axioms d(a,b)=0 iff a=b and triangle inequality.

This will generally not be a metric since the condition of symmetry is not fulfilled: It usually takes a different time to travel from $a$ to $b$ than to travel from $b$ to $a$. (I know that because I live on a hill. :-)
The remaining conditions are fulfilled:


*

*The time required to travel from $a$ to $b$ is non-negative.

*The time required to travel from $a$ to $b$ is zero if and only if $a=b$.

*$d(a,c)\le d(a,b)+d(b,c)$ since you can always travel first from $a$ to $b$ and then from $b$ to $c$ in order to travel from $a$ to $c$.

