GED LESSON: Success GED Absolute Value Lesson

Khan Academy Full Course on Absolute Value

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Absolute Value

Absolute value describes the distance of a number on the number line from 0 without considering which direction from zero the number lies. The absolute value of a number is never negative.

• The absolute value of 5 is 5.
distance from 0: 5 units

• The absolute value of 5 is 5.
distance from 0: 5 units

• The absolute value of 2 + 7 is 5.
distance of sum from 0: 5 units

• The absolute value of 0 is 0. (This is why wedon't say that the absolute value of a number is positive: Zero is neither negative nor positive.)

The symbol for absolute value is two straight lines surrounding the number or expression for which you wish to indicate absolute value.

• |6| = 6 means the absolute value of 6 is 6.
• |6| = 6 means the absolute value of 6 is 6.
• |2 - x| means the absolute value of 2 minus x.
• |x| means the negative of the absolute value of x.