Pre-Algebra : Absolute Value
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Example Questions
Example Question #357 : Operations
Solve the absolute value:
Solve the terms inside the absolute value first.
Simplify the absolute value. Any term inside the absolute value is converted to a positive value.
Convert the negative exponent to a positive exponent by taking the reciprocal of the inner term. Simplify.
Example Question #358 : Operations
Solve the equation below.
The straight brackets indicate absolute value.
Absolute value means the distance from zero.
Example: Even a -16 is still 16 away from zero.
Therefore,
The absolute value of -15 is 15.
Example Question #359 : Operations
Solve the following equation.
The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on a number line. Because of that, the absolute value of a number can never be negative.
So,
because the distance from zero to -7 on a number line is 7.
So,
Example Question #360 : Operations
Solve:
None of the other answers
First, we solve the absolute value portion:
Example Question #361 : Operations
Fill in the blank using 
The term 
So, we can rewrite the orignal problem as
and we can easily see that
Example Question #362 : Operations
Compare the following using
The absolute value of a number is the distance that number is from zero on a number. Because it is a distance, the absolute value can never be negative. So,
can be written as
Therefore, it's easy to solve.
Example Question #363 : Operations
Simplify the following expression:
Simplify the following expression:
Let's begin by focusing on the inside of the absolute value signs:
However, because we are within the absolute value signs, we need to change the negative sign to a positive one.
Anytime you have something within the absolute value sign, you need to make it positive.
Our answer is 6.
Example Question #41 : Absolute Value
Simplify the following:
None of the above
It is important to be careful of where the negative sign is when simplifying.
When simplifying you should end up with:
Example Question #363 : Operations
Solve for x in the following equation:
The absolute value is defined as the distance that number is from zero on the number line. Because it is a distance, the absolute value cannot be negative. So, in the equation
we look at the absolute value.
because -9 is 9 units from zero. Now, we can solve for x.
Example Question #366 : Operations
Compare the following using
Absolute values are defined as the distance the number is from zero on a number line. Because it is a distance, the absolute value cannot be negative. So,
because -9 is 9 units from zero on a number line. So,
can easily be solved as
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