Okay, mathy people, I have an absolute value Q. for you...

[LisaNY]

I have been going over some basic Algebra topics with my dd before we move over to our Algebra 1 text. I have been using a variety of resources, just to see how different texts approach the same topic.

We came across this problem in Dolciani: (I will use [] to indicate absolute value)

"Explain why the following statement is true."

If a is a real number, then
[a] = a if a is zero or a positive number
[a] = -a if a is a negative number

It appears that the second condition is telling us that the absolute value of -a is negative a, but I know it is not *really* saying that.

Can our resident math experts unfreeze my brain for me, please?

[kathleen]

If you substitute the phrase "opposite of" for the negative sign, maybe it will make sense. So, if the number inside the absolute value sign is a negative number, then the absolute value is the opposite of that negative number (in other words, a positive number). |-3| = -(-3), or 3.

[LisaNY]

If you substitute the phrase "opposite of" for the negative sign, maybe it will make sense. So, if the number inside the absolute value sign is a negative number, then the absolute value is the opposite of that negative number (in other words, a positive number). |-3| = -(-3), or 3.

Thank you, Kathleen. That what what I was *thinking* they might be saying, but I wasn't sure. :001_smile: