Absolute value refers to the distance from zero without reference to direction. Absolute value, since it is a non-directed distance, is always zero or positive. The notation for absolute value is to put straight vertical lines around a value.
Example: Suppose Pat walked 5 steps forward and Kim walked 6 steps backward. Who took more steps?
Even though we would represent Pat's steps as 5 and Kim's steps as –6, we would say that Kim took more steps.
|5| read as the "absolute value of 5" is 5 since the (non-directed) distance is five units from 0 (the origin).
|–6| read as the "absolute value of –6" is 6 since the (non-directed) distance is six units from 0 (the origin).
We would write |5| = 5 < 6 = |–6|.
Pat took fewer steps than did Kim.
This problem and the opening problem for this session both motivate the concept of absolute value.
Example: Find |–5|.
|–5| read as "absolute value of –5" equals 5 because the (non-directed) distance is 5.
|–5| = 5.
The surface of the Dead Sea is approximately 422 meters below sea level, which is the lowest elevation on the Earth's surface. How far would a person have to descend if a person started at the shore of the Mediterranean to reach the shore of the Dead Sea? Symbolize the problem.
Dead Sea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Date last modified: July 29, 2010.
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