|-6|
|2-4|
|1/2-3/4|
What do the vertical signify? Thanks.
absolute value.
absolute value
So, they don't really mean anything?
So |1/2-3/4| = 1/2-3/4
Yes, they do mean something. For example,
1/2 - 3/4 = -1/4
|1/2-3/4| = 1/4
How come the answers are different? Please explain, whats its function in helping to solve the equation.
Thanks.
The secret word here was in the two posts by others (not mine). Look up the word "absolute value" and see what it means.
Here is a really good site that explains this and many other math problems.
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/absolute.htm
The vertical bars, also known as the absolute value notation, are used to indicate the magnitude or the distance of a number from zero on the number line. When applied to a real number, the absolute value always returns a non-negative value.
In the given examples:
1. | -6 | = 6: The absolute value of -6 is 6, as it represents the distance of -6 from zero on the number line.
2. | 2 - 4 | = |-2| = 2: The expression | 2 - 4 | can be simplified to |-2|. Since -2 is two units away from zero, its absolute value is 2.
3. | 1/2 - 3/4 |: To simplify this expression, we subtract the two rational numbers within the absolute value bars. 1/2 - 3/4 = (2/4) - (3/4) = -1/4. Finally, we take the absolute value of -1/4, which is 1/4 since it represents the distance from zero on the number line.