The results of modeling of the structure factors (SF) and radial distribution functions (RDF) of atoms for a number of liquid metals with the close-packed crystal lattices are discussed. The special attention is paid to the most detailed coincidence of the experimental and calculated SF curves at their high-angle region. The shortest atomic distance values r1 SF found from the SFs were shown to be smaller by some per cents than the values r1RDF determined as the abscissa of the RDF first peak and than the shortest distances in a crystalline state. It was determined that the high-angle part of the experimental SF curve may be reproduced satisfactorily by the model curve only when the first atomic coordination includes not a single but two or three predominant distances (r1, r2 and r3) between atoms. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.