This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above
Video duration:
1m
Play a video:
Was this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Absolute Value
The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line, regardless of direction. It is denoted by two vertical bars surrounding the number, such as |x|. For example, |5| equals 5, and |-5| also equals 5, indicating that both numbers are 5 units away from zero.
Absolute value has specific properties that are useful in mathematical operations. One key property is that |a| = a if a is non-negative, and |a| = -a if a is negative. This means that the absolute value function always returns a non-negative result, which is crucial for evaluating expressions involving negative numbers.
Evaluating an expression involves substituting values into the expression and simplifying it to find a numerical result. In the case of absolute value, this means determining the distance from zero for the given number. For |-10|, you would recognize that it is the distance of -10 from zero, which is 10.