In this section you'll learn how to the find the absolute value
of integers.
4 - 0 = 4
4 - 1 = 3
4 - 2 = 2
4 - 3 = 1
4 - 4 = 0
4 - 5 = -1
In this pattern you can see that 4 - 5 is equal to a negative
number. A negative number is a number that is less than zero (in
this case -1). A negative number is always less than zero, 0.
We can study this in a diagram by using two examples: 0 -
4 = -4 and -1 - 3 = -4
This kind of diagram is called a number line. There are some
things that you need to observe when you draw and/or use a number
line. Zero, is always in the middle and separates negative and
positive numbers. On the left side of zero, you'll find numbers
that are less than zero, the negative numbers. On the right side of
zero, you'll find numbers that are greater than zero, the positive
numbers. The absolute value is the same as the distance from zero
of a specific number.
On this number line you can see that 3 and -3 are on the
opposite sides of zero. Since they are the same distance from zero,
though in opposite directions, in mathematics they have the same
absolute value, in this case 3. The notation for absolute value is
to surround the number by straight lines as in the examples
below.
Example:
Simplify the following expression
Video lesson: Evaluate the following
expression
