wouldn't the question -(-7+4)it is absolute, be-11?

Not quite - Here's the expression: -|-7 + 4| _First, start by working out the expression_ *inside* _the absolute value bars:_ -|-7 + 4| -|-3| _Then, take the absolute value of the number inside the bars:_ -|-3| -(3) -3 _So your answer is -3_ -|-7 + 4| = -3 Hope this helps!

how is a<|a| shouldn't a=|a| as they are the same distance from 0?

a was a negative number while absolute a was a positive number therefore a is less than positive a

this doesn't totally make sense to me.

So absolute value is the distance a number has from 0. It can never be negative. So lets say that an editor needs to go back -3 pages. The absolute value would be 3. He/she would need to go back 3 pages since there are no negative pages. Hope this helps!

What is absolute value in real-life scenarios?

Absolute values are used when we work with distances. Distances are positive values. For example: A diver is -15 deep (this places him 15 feet below the surface of the water). How far does he need to travel to get to the surface? He needs to travel |-15| = 15 feet. Hope this helps.

Would -(-9+3) it be absolute -12

No. See Jade's question from 2 years ago as it's similar to your question; and Polina's reply/explanation to help you.

How do we use absolute value in the real world

Any time we want to find the total amount, such as the total distance traveled, rather than the destination. For instance, let's say I take 10 steps forward, then turn around and take 10 steps back to my original spot. In the end, it means I did not actually move at all. 10 plus negative 10 = 0. But in this case, I want to find how steps I took in total. So I take the absolute value of both numbers, and now discover that 10 plus 10 equals 20, because I took a total 20 steps.

This is for the students who are confused on how absoulute value works. My first example: think of a integer, the definition of a integer is a positive whole number. So if we say the absoulute value of -2, think of it as what is -2 swicthed as a integer. Please upvote me if this helped.

The definition of an integer used here is incorrect. An integer is any specific number that can be expressed without using a fraction or decimal. It is not a positive whole number. The absolute value of a negative number is its positive opposite.

Main content

Intro to absolute value

Q: how is a<|a| shouldn't a=|a| as they are the same distance from 0?

a was a negative number while absolute a was a positive number therefore a is less than positive a

Q: this doesn't totally make sense to me.

So absolute value is the distance a number has from 0. It can never be negative. So lets say that an editor needs to go back -3 pages. The absolute value would be 3. He/she would need to go back 3 pages since there are no negative pages. Hope this helps!

Q: What is absolute value in real-life scenarios?

Absolute values are used when we work with distances. Distances are positive values. For example: A diver is -15 deep (this places him 15 feet below the surface of the water). How far does he need to travel to get to the surface? He needs to travel |-15| = 15 feet. Hope this helps.

Q: Would -(-9+3) it be absolute -12

No. See Jade's question from 2 years ago as it's similar to your question; and Polina's reply/explanation to help you.

Q: How do we use absolute value in the real world

Any time we want to find the total amount, such as the total distance traveled, rather than the destination. For instance, let's say I take 10 steps forward, then turn around and take 10 steps back to my original spot. In the end, it means I did not actually move at all. 10 plus negative 10 = 0. But in this case, I want to find how steps I took in total. So I take the absolute value of both numbers, and now discover that 10 plus 10 equals 20, because I took a total 20 steps.

Q: This is for the students who are confused on how absoulute value works. My first example: think of a integer, the definition of a integer is a positive whole number. So if we say the absoulute value of -2, think of it as what is -2 swicthed as a integer. Please upvote me if this helped.

The definition of an integer used here is incorrect. An integer is any specific number that can be expressed without using a fraction or decimal. It is not a positive whole number. The absolute value of a negative number is its positive opposite.

CCSS.Math:

6.NS.C.7

6.NS.C.7c

Google Classroom

Learn how to think about absolute value as distance from zero, and practice finding absolute values.

The absolute value of a number is its distance from 0.

For example, the absolute value of 4 is start color #11accd, 4, end color #11accd:

This seems kind of obvious. Of course the distance from 0 to 4 is start color #11accd, 4, end color #11accd. Where absolute value gets interesting is with negative numbers.

For example, the absolute value of minus, 4 is also start color #11accd, 4, end color #11accd:

Let's practice!

Problem 1A

Current

What is the absolute value of 3?

The absolute value symbol

The symbol for absolute value is a bar vertical bar on each side of the number.

For example, instead of writing

"the absolute value of minus, 6"

we can just write

vertical bar, minus, 6, vertical bar.

Let's practice!

Problem 2A

Current

What is vertical bar, 7, vertical bar?

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Sort by:

Jade Schmitz
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Jade Schmitz's post “wouldn't the question -(-...”
wouldn't the question -(-7+4)it is absolute, be-11?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Jade Schmitz's post “wouldn't the question -(-...”
(18 votes)
Answer
- Polina Vitić
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Polina Vitić's post “Not quite - Here's the e...”
  Not quite -
  
  Here's the expression: -|-7 + 4|
  
  First, start by working out the expression inside the absolute value bars:
  -|-7 + 4|
  -|-3|
  
  Then, take the absolute value of the number inside the bars:
  -|-3|
  -(3)
  -3
  So your answer is -3
  
  -|-7 + 4| = -3
  
  Hope this helps!
  Comment on Polina Vitić's post “Not quite - Here's the e...”
  (72 votes)
Mariana
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Mariana's post “What is absolute value in...”
What is absolute value in real-life scenarios?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Mariana's post “What is absolute value in...”
(9 votes)
Answer
- Kim Seidel
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Kim Seidel's post “Absolute values are used ...”
  Absolute values are used when we work with distances. Distances are positive values.
  
  For example: A diver is -15 deep (this places him 15 feet below the surface of the water). How far does he need to travel to get to the surface? He needs to travel |-15| = 15 feet.
  Hope this helps.
  Comment on Kim Seidel's post “Absolute values are used ...”
  (50 votes)
Matthew Pickel
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Matthew Pickel's post “how is a<|a| shouldn't a=...”
how is a<|a| shouldn't a=|a| as they are the same distance from 0?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Matthew Pickel's post “how is a<|a| shouldn't a=...”
(10 votes)
Answer
- Andrew C.
  Posted 8 months ago. Direct link to Andrew C.'s post “a was a negative number w...”
  a was a negative number while absolute a was a positive number therefore a is less than positive a
  Comment on Andrew C.'s post “a was a negative number w...”
  (8 votes)
j_mattson
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to j_mattson's post “this doesn't totally make...”
this doesn't totally make sense to me.
Button navigates to signup pageComment on j_mattson's post “this doesn't totally make...”
(10 votes)
Answer
- Danny
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Danny's post “So absolute value is the ...”
  So absolute value is the distance a number has from 0. It can never be negative. So lets say that an editor needs to go back -3 pages. The absolute value would be 3. He/she would need to go back 3 pages since there are no negative pages. Hope this helps!
  Comment on Danny's post “So absolute value is the ...”
  (8 votes)
kiera.brown
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to kiera.brown's post “Would -(-9+3) it be absol...”
Would -(-9+3) it be absolute -12
Button navigates to signup pageComment on kiera.brown's post “Would -(-9+3) it be absol...”
(9 votes)
Answer
- chapman_bronwyn
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to chapman_bronwyn's post “No. See Jade's question f...”
  No. See Jade's question from 2 years ago as it's similar to your question; and Polina's reply/explanation to help you.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (7 votes)
summerlexicheng
Posted a month ago. Direct link to summerlexicheng's post “How do we use absolute va...”
How do we use absolute value in the real world
Button navigates to signup pageComment on summerlexicheng's post “How do we use absolute va...”
(7 votes)
Answer
- Philip
  Posted a month ago. Direct link to Philip's post “Any time we want to find ...”
  Any time we want to find the total amount, such as the total distance traveled, rather than the destination. For instance, let's say I take 10 steps forward, then turn around and take 10 steps back to my original spot. In the end, it means I did not actually move at all. 10 plus negative 10 = 0. But in this case, I want to find how steps I took in total. So I take the absolute value of both numbers, and now discover that 10 plus 10 equals 20, because I took a total 20 steps.
  Comment on Philip's post “Any time we want to find ...”
  (10 votes)
Merline Fishburne
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Merline Fishburne's post “If they ask for the absou...”
If they ask for the absoulte value of 8, is the answer going to be positive 8?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Merline Fishburne's post “If they ask for the absou...”
(5 votes)
Answer
- Ridhi superr34
  Posted 4 months ago. Direct link to Ridhi superr34's post “Yes, because an absolute ...”
  Yes, because an absolute value can never be a negative number, it can only be positive.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)
ryder.riggs
Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to ryder.riggs's post “i wonder who was like "hm...”
i wonder who was like "hmmm lets put lines beside this number and that will mean absaloot value"
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(10 votes)
Answer
Jayden Wang
Posted a month ago. Direct link to Jayden Wang's post “This is for the students ...”
This is for the students who are confused on how absoulute value works. My first example: think of a integer, the definition of a integer is a positive whole number. So if we say the absoulute value of -2, think of it as what is -2 swicthed as a integer. Please upvote me if this helped.
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(7 votes)
Answer
- Jove
  Posted 25 days ago. Direct link to Jove's post “The definition of an inte...”
  The definition of an integer used here is incorrect.
  
  An integer is any specific number that can be expressed without using a fraction or decimal.
  
  It is not a positive whole number.
  
  The absolute value of a negative number is its positive opposite.
  Comment on Jove's post “The definition of an inte...”
  (4 votes)
Anthony Gabaldon
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Anthony Gabaldon's post “at 11:29,what if the numb...”
at
11:29
,what if the number is flipped?like x to 9 and the x is 2, is that possible?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(6 votes)
Answer
- charlie
  Posted 4 months ago. Direct link to charlie's post “x can equal 2 #s (# is sh...”
  x can equal 2 #s (# is short for number)
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)

Arithmetic (all content)

Course: Arithmetic (all content) > Unit 4

Intro to absolute value

Let's practice!

The absolute value symbol

Let's practice!

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