What does it mean to broil 4 inches from the heat for x minutes?
I'm going to assume this is an American recipe, as broiling has a slightly different meaning in Australia &amp; the UK.

With broiling, the oven only heats the top element in the oven, and you turn the element or burner up as hot as it can get.  It's not a specific temperature, as in most ovens, that would cause it to cycle on &amp; off.  (in fact, when broiling, you typically leave the door open specifically so the oven won't heat up so far that it decides to cycle the burner off to cool down).

It's about extreme high heat, from a single side.  (top in the US, bottom in the UK and Australia)

You typically need to pay close attention to whatever's under the broiler, as it can go from golden brown to charred very, very quickly.