How do you work with Absolute Values?

Question

Whatever number is between the lines in an absolute value will be positive.

l -2 l = 2

l 5 l = 5

However, when a negative is on the outside of the absolute value, you will place the negative in front of your final answer.

— l 2 l. =. -2

— l -3 l = -3. How did this happen? With the order of operations, you will find the absolute value first. Then the negative on the outside of the absolute value lines will be applied. So, you find the absolute value of -3 which is 3, but the you apply the negative/opposite of the answer you found

Answer 1

Every thing you say is correct.

And you never distribute a negative sign into an absolute value.

Also, should you be given a problem where IwhateverI is negative, then there is no solution.

Answer 2

Why? you ask?

PEMDAS the order of operations seems to have missed where the absolute value sign goes, where it has priority

but just think of the || sign as a type of (), parentheses,

do what's inside the parentheses or absolute sign first,

then do the other operations such as multiplication or subtraction

the negative sign in front of the absolute sign is like multiplication by an implicit negative one