Absolute Value, Calculate: - | - | -2 | |

Question

I need help understanding how to work out the negatives in problems like this one. I read that absolute value stands for number of spaces so negatives are really just positive, but in other examples not all were changed to positive, so how does one follow through on a question like this one?

Answer 1

Break down the absolute values one by one.  Evaluate the inner absolute value.  Then evaluate the outer absolute value.  When you have a negative sign outside each absolute value symbol, you multiplying the respective absolute value by -1.

 

 

- |  -  | -2 |     |  =

 

- | - 2  |   =

 

- 2