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Chapter 2    Integers

2-3    Introducing Absolute Values

 

Definition

The absolute value of an integer is its value without regard to the sign. Or to put it another way, the absolute value of an integer is its distance from the origin (zero) on the number line.

 

The absolute value of numbers is indicated by enclosing the numbers in a pair of vertical lines, | |. 
For example, the absolute value of – 10 is written as | – 10 |.

Examples:

  1. What is the absolute value of -5?
    The distance between 0 and – 5 on the number line is 5 units. Therefore the absolute value of – 5 is equal to 5.

| – 5 |  = 5

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  1. What is the absolute value of 3? The distance between 0 and 3 on the number line is 3 units. Therefore the absolute value of 3 is equal to 3.

| 3 | = 3

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  1. What is the absolute value of zero? There no distance between 0 and 0 on the number line, therefore the absolute value of 0 is 0.

| 0 | = 0

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Exercises

Determine the absolute values.
Click the  ?  symbol to see the correct answer.

1.    | – 20 | =  ?  2.  | 25 | =  ?  3.   | -1 |   =  ?  4.   | -129 | =  ?  5.    | 0 | =  ? 

Author: David L. Heiserman
Publisher: SweetHaven Publishing Services

Copyright � 2006, David L. Heiserman
All Rights Reserved