what is the difference between |-3| and -3?
The absolute value of a number is its' distance from zero on the number
line. Ignore the negative sign.
|-3| = 3.
|3| = 3.
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thanks henry2
The difference between | -3 | and -3 lies in the use of absolute value notation. Absolute value is a mathematical function denoted by two vertical bars (| |) that provides the distance of a number from zero on a number line, regardless of its sign.
To understand the difference, let's break it down:
1. |-3|: This represents the absolute value of -3. The absolute value function removes the negative sign from a negative number, so |-3| evaluates to 3. In other words, it gives you the magnitude or the positive distance of a number from zero.
2. -3: This is simply a negative number without any modifications. It represents the negative value of three.
So, the key distinction is that |-3| gives you the positive distance from zero (3), while -3 denotes a negative number.
To calculate the absolute value of a number without using a calculator or absolute value symbols, you can use the following rule:
- If the number is positive or zero, the absolute value is the number itself.
- If the number is negative, multiply it by -1 to convert it into a positive number.
For example:
- |-7| = 7 (since -7 is negative, we multiply it by -1 to make it positive)
- |0| = 0 (since 0 is neither positive nor negative)
- |10| = 10 (since 10 is already positive)
By following this rule, you can easily find the absolute value of any number.