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Absolute Value

Part of the Numbers & Operations section of Coddy's Pre-Algebra journey. Lesson 13 of 57.

The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero, and a distance is never negative. It is written with two upright bars: $\left|-8\right|$ is 8, because -8 is eight steps from zero, and $\left|8\right|$ is 8 as well.

So the absolute value keeps the size of a number and drops its sign. Opposites always have the same absolute value, since they are the same distance from zero.

Absolute value bars group like parentheses: work out each one first. $\left|-11\right|+\left|3\right|$ becomes $11+3$ , which is 14.

Challenge

Work out $\left|-15\right|-\left|6\right|$ .

Try it yourself

\left|-15\right|-\left|6\right|

Simplify

Test yourself

This lesson includes a short quiz. Start the lesson to answer it and track your progress.

All lessons in Numbers & Operations

2Mental Math

Friendly Pairs Take Away the Total Recap: Mental Math

5Subtracting Integers

Add the Opposite Subtracting a Negative Plus and Minus in a Row Distance Between Numbers Recap: Subtracting Integers

8Square Roots

Perfect Squares Undoing a Square Roots in Expressions The Root Sign Groups Between Two Whole Numbers Recap: Square Roots

11Final Challenges

Final: Every Rule at Once Final: Roots and Powers Final: The Freezer Final: Over the Bar Final: On the Line

3Negative Numbers

Below Zero Opposites Greater or LessAbsolute ValueRecap: The Number Line

6Multiplying and Dividing

Negative Times Positive Two Negatives Counting the Negatives Dividing Integers Zero in Division Recap: Multiply and Divide

9Putting It All Together

Powers Before Products Negatives Inside Negative Bases in Sums Everything at Once Recap: The Full Order