How do you simplify |2| + |-6| - |3| - |-4|?

1 Answer
Jul 8, 2016

1

Explanation:

The long bars that surround numbers are absolute values. Absolute values are the distance from 0 to that number. They always remain positive, because only the distance, not the direction, is taken into account when absolute value is measured on the number line.

A simple way to remember the concept without necessarily understanding it: the absolute value of any number is always that number, positive. For example:

abs(-6) = 6

or

abs(100) = 100

Moving on to your question:

abs2 + abs(-6) - abs(3) - abs(-4)

This simplifies to:

2 + 6 - 3 - 4

We can combine these numbers to get:

1