Find each sum or difference. |-8 - 6|

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the expression inside the absolute value: |-8 - 6|. This means we first need to simplify the expression inside the absolute value bars.
2. Perform the subtraction inside the absolute value: calculate -8 - 6. Remember that subtracting a positive number is the same as adding its negative.
3. Simplify the result from the subtraction to get a single number inside the absolute value.
4. Recall the definition of absolute value: the absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line, which is always non-negative.
5. Take the absolute value of the simplified number by removing any negative sign, resulting in the final value of the expression.

Key Concepts

Absolute Value

The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line, always expressed as a non-negative value. For example, |−8| equals 8 because it is 8 units away from zero. Absolute value removes any negative sign.

Order of Operations

Order of operations dictates the sequence in which mathematical operations are performed. In the expression |-8 - 6|, subtraction inside the absolute value must be done first before applying the absolute value.

Evaluating Expressions

Evaluating expressions involves performing arithmetic operations step-by-step to simplify the expression. Here, subtracting inside the absolute value and then taking the absolute value gives the final result.