diff --git a/src/dist.rs b/src/dist.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0017cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dist.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+//! Traits for generically calculating distances between values.
+//!
+//! This is often necessary in generic numeric algorithms to determine if
+//! the demanded precision is reached.
+
+use std::ops::{Sub, Div, DivAssign};
+
+use {Num};
+
+/// The abstract notion of the distance between two values.
+///
+/// This can be used to calculate the distance between two arbitrary
+/// values even if there is no sensible definition of a norm of these.
+pub trait Distance {
+    /// The resulting type of the distance function.
+    ///
+    /// Mathematically, a norm is a mapping from 2-tuples of vectors of a vector space _V_
+    /// into the non-negative real numbers, so `Output` will usually be a floating point type
+    /// or in some cases an unsigned integer type.
+    type Output: Num;
+
+    /// Calculates the distance between `self` and `other`.
+    fn distance(&self, other: &Self) -> Self::Output;
+}
+
+/// The abstract notion of the norm of a vector.
+///
+/// If `Self` is `Copy` and implements `Sub`, then `Distance` will
+/// be generically implemented for it. The `distance` function
+/// of this generic implementation will calculate the norm of the difference
+/// of the two arguments.
+pub trait Norm: Sized  {
+    /// The resulting type of the norm function.
+    ///
+    /// Mathematically, a norm is a mapping from a vector space _V_ into the non-negative
+    /// real numbers, so `Output` will usually be a floating point type
+    /// or in some cases an unsigned integer type.
+    type Output: Num;
+
+    /// Calculates the norm of `self`.
+    ///
+    /// On signed integer and floating point values, it calls the `abs` function.
+    ///
+    /// On unsigned integer values, it simply returns the original value.
+    fn norm(&self) -> <Self as Norm>::Output;
+}
+
+/// Normalizes the vector `v`, i.e. divides it by its norm.
+///
+/// As long as the implementations of `Div` and `DivAssign` on `T` match,
+/// `v` will be equal to `normalized(v)` after calling this function.
+///
+/// ## Attention
+///
+/// Due to numerical errors, `v` is *not* guaranteed to have exactly norm `1`
+/// after calling this function.
+///
+/// On integer types this function will do complete nonsense since
+/// `DivAssign` is implemented as an integer division for integers.
+pub fn normalize<T: Norm<Output=R> + DivAssign<R>, R: Num>(v: &mut T) {
+    *v /= v.norm();
+}
+
+/// Normalizes the normalized vector of `v`, i.e. `v` divided by its norm.
+///
+/// ## Attention
+///
+/// Due to numerical errors, the result is *not* guaranteed to have exactly norm `1`
+/// after calling this function.
+///
+/// On integer types this function will do complete nonsense since
+/// `Div` is implemented as an integer division for integers.
+pub fn normalized<T: Norm<Output=R> + Div<R, Output=T>, R: Num>(v: T) -> T {
+    let norm = v.norm();
+    v / norm
+}
+
+impl<T: Copy + Norm + Sub<Self, Output=Self>> Distance for T{
+    type Output = <Self as Norm>::Output;
+    fn distance(&self, other: &Self) -> <Self as Distance>::Output {
+        (*self - *other).norm()
+    }
+}
+
+
+/// Generically implements `Norm` for the unsigned integer types
+/// by simply returning the original value.
+macro_rules! norm_impl_self {
+    ($($t:ty)*) => ($(
+        impl Norm for $t {
+            type Output = Self;
+            fn norm(&self) -> <Self as Norm>::Output {
+                *self
+            }
+        }
+    )*)
+}
+
+/// Generically implements `Norm` for types with an `abs` function
+/// by returning the result of this function.
+macro_rules! norm_impl_abs {
+    ($($t:ty)*) => ($(
+        impl Norm for $t {
+            type Output = Self;
+            fn norm(&self) -> <Self as Norm>::Output {
+                self.abs()
+            }
+        }
+    )*)
+}
+
+/// Generically implements `Norm` for the signed integer types
+/// by calling their `abs` function and casting to the corresponding unsinged
+/// integer type.
+macro_rules! norm_impl_unsigned_output {
+    ($($t:ty, $out:ty);*) => ($(
+        impl Norm for $t {
+            type Output = $out;
+            fn norm(&self) -> <Self as Norm>::Output {
+                self.abs() as $out
+            }
+        }
+    )*)
+}
+
+norm_impl_abs!(f32 f64);
+norm_impl_unsigned_output!(i8, u8; i16, u16; i32, u32; i64, u64; isize, usize);
+norm_impl_self!(u8 u16 u32 u64 usize);
+
+#[cfg(has_i128)]
+norm_impl_unsigned_output!(i128, u128);
+
+#[cfg(has_u128)]
+norm_impl_self!(u128);
+
+
+#[test]
+fn norm_floating_point() {
+    assert_eq!((-2.0f32).norm(), 2.0);
+    assert_eq!((-3.0f64).norm(), 3.0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn distance_floating_point() {
+    assert_eq!((5.0f32).distance(&3.0), 2.0);
+    assert_eq!((2.0f32).distance(&-3.0), 5.0);
+    assert_eq!((1.0f64).distance(&4.0), 3.0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn norm_unsigned_integer() {
+    assert_eq!(2u8.norm(), 2);
+    assert_eq!(3u16.norm(), 3);
+    assert_eq!(4u32.norm(), 4);
+    assert_eq!(5u64.norm(), 5);
+    assert_eq!(6usize.norm(), 6);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn norm_signed_integer() {
+    assert_eq!((-2i8).norm(), 2);
+    assert_eq!((-3i16).norm(), 3);
+    assert_eq!((-4i32).norm(), 4);
+    assert_eq!((-5i64).norm(), 5);
+    assert_eq!((-6isize).norm(), 6);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 559a18c..48df505 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -46,12 +46,14 @@ pub use ops::saturating::Saturating;
 pub use ops::wrapping::{WrappingAdd, WrappingMul, WrappingShl, WrappingShr, WrappingSub};
 pub use pow::{checked_pow, pow, Pow};
 pub use sign::{abs, abs_sub, signum, Signed, Unsigned};
+pub use dist::{Norm, Distance};
 
 #[macro_use]
 mod macros;
 
 pub mod bounds;
 pub mod cast;
+pub mod dist;
 pub mod float;
 pub mod identities;
 pub mod int;