How many cables are there?

Say if you had a double outlet wall socket, Does that mean that you have to run two cables back inside a wall? One for each socket?

Like in the picture attached? I really need to know this simple fact. And I can't seem to get it anywhere else.

Thanks for any help.

Looks like you forgot to attach the picture.

Ordinarily, both sockets are connected in parallel, and can be fed
by one cable, although alternative methods can be used.
The two outlets are already bound together by default, but little metal tabs
can be broken off to isolate them.

Then you can wire one to live power and have the other wired to a
wall switch, for instance.

Also, often, there will be two cables, but one is the power source
and the other carries the power onward to other outlets because
they can be "daisy chained."
:cool: