The numerical value when direction or sign is not considered is called the absolute value. The absolute value of x is written | x|. The absolute value of a number is always positive except when the number is 0.
| 0 | = 0| x | > 0 when x ≠ 0| – x| > 0 when x ≠ 0
Example 1
Give the value.
- |4| = 4
- |–6| = 6
- |7 – 9| = |–2| = 2
- 3 – |–6| = 3 – 6 = –3
Note that absolute value is taken first, or work is first done within the absolute value signs.