What you’ll learn
Understand absolute value.
Key idea
Absolute value records a nonnegative distance.
Absolute value measures distance, not signed location; symmetric locations have equal nonnegative magnitudes.
Worked example
Classify examples and non-examples for the concept 'Understand absolute value'.
Is |16|=-16 an example of absolute value as distance from zero? Classify and repair if necessary.
- The point 16 is 16 units from zero.
- Distance is nonnegative, so |16|=16; compare it with the claimed -16.
Answer: Non-example — |16|=16 because the nonnegative distance from zero is 16.
Quick Check
Classify examples and non-examples for the concept 'Understand absolute value'.
Is |-41|=41 an example of absolute value as distance from zero? Classify and repair if necessary.