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.

Can fractions have an absolute value?

Yes! Think about it is 3/4 of a cm a measurement? Yes! So, fractions can also have an absolute value. Hope this helps!

Why cant there be negatives for absolute value?

There are no negatives for absolute value since absolute value is a measure of distance on a number line. (Distance doesn't have negative values only positive Hopes this helps!

Main content

6th grade

Course: 6th grade > Unit 5

Lesson 6: Intro to absolute value

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: Why cant there be negatives for absolute value?

There are no negatives for absolute value since absolute value is a measure of distance on a number line. (Distance doesn't have negative values only positive Hopes this helps!

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

4

This seems kind of obvious. Of course the distance from

0

4

4

. Where absolute value gets interesting is with negative numbers.

For example, the absolute value of

- 4

is also

4

Let's practice!

Problem 1A

What is the absolute value of $3$ ‍?

The absolute value symbol

The symbol for absolute value is a bar

|

on each side of the number.

For example, instead of writing

"the absolute value of

- 6

we can just write

| - 6 |

Let's practice!

Problem 2A

What is $| 7 |$ ‍?

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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 -(-...”
(29 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...”
  (89 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...”
(10 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 ...”
  (59 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=...”
(12 votes)
Answer
- Andrew C.
  Posted a year 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...”
  (13 votes)
nathaniel
Posted 5 months ago. Direct link to nathaniel's post “Why cant there be negativ...”
Why cant there be negatives for absolute value?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on nathaniel's post “Why cant there be negativ...”
(7 votes)
Answer
- shobapp
  Posted 5 months ago. Direct link to shobapp's post “There are no negatives fo...”
  There are no negatives for absolute value since absolute value is a measure of distance on a number line. (Distance doesn't have negative values only positive
  
  Hopes this helps!
  Comment on shobapp's post “There are no negatives fo...”
  (23 votes)
Divya N V
Posted 4 months ago. Direct link to Divya N V's post “How last question is solv...”
How last question is solved is explained below:

In place of "a" let's assume number "3", as "a" is placed towards left of "0" it's considered as "-3" (if "a" was placed towards right of "0" we would consider as "+3").

Therefore ==> a = -3

Note Points:
->Negative numbers are always lesser than 0 and positive numbers.
->Positive numbers are always greater than 0 and negative numbers.
-> Absolute of Negative number or Positive number or "0" always results in Positive number.

Now as per the questions asked, lets implement value of "a" that is "-3" and check True or False

Q1.) a < 0 ===> -3 < 0 ===> True
Q2.) |a| > 0 ===> |-3| > 0 ===> 3 > 0 ===> True
Q3.) a < |a| ===> -3 < |-3| ===> -3 < 3 ===> True
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Divya N V's post “How last question is solv...”
(15 votes)
Answer
- rubendanielc702
  Posted 3 months ago. Direct link to rubendanielc702's post “mucho texto”
  mucho texto
  Comment on rubendanielc702's post “mucho texto”
  (4 votes)
OsmanK.
Posted 5 months ago. Direct link to OsmanK.'s post “So this i basicly a washi...”
So this i basicly a washing machine whatever you put in it it becomes celan like lets say 3 is clean and u put it in to the
washing machine (Absloute) and i becomes 3 clean.But if u put -3 whic is dirty it becomes clean when you put it in the machine (Absloute)
Button navigates to signup pageComment on OsmanK.'s post “So this i basicly a washi...”
(16 votes)
Answer
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...”
(11 votes)
Answer
- Danny
  Posted 3 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 ...”
  (9 votes)
Flame
Posted 5 months ago. Direct link to Flame's post “Can fractions have an abs...”
Can fractions have an absolute value?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(8 votes)
Answer
- shobapp
  Posted 5 months ago. Direct link to shobapp's post “Yes! Think about it is 3/...”
  Yes! Think about it is 3/4 of a cm a measurement?
  Yes! So, fractions can also have an absolute value.
  
  Hope this helps!
  Button navigates to signup page
  (13 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...”
(10 votes)
Answer
- chapman_bronwyn
  Posted 3 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
  (8 votes)
Merline Fishburne
Posted 4 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 10 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)