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What's the difference between |-3| and -3?

Question

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What's the difference between |-3| and -3?

skullpatrol · Answer

Any ideas?

anonymous · Answer

Pff no. Other than the |'s no xD My other one got deleted that I asked, oddly so. :T

anonymous · Answer

Are you taking a test?

anonymous · Answer

Does it make it worth any less? 

Yeah, I am.

skullpatrol · Answer

What is the definition of the absolute value of a number?

debbieg · Answer

Are you supposed to ask other people to help you with the test? Or is it supposed to be your own work?

anonymous · Answer

@allmightystew you are giving out answers and its wrong

skullpatrol · Answer

@allmightystew please do not post only the answer.

anonymous · Answer

the absolute value of a number is the distance the number is from zero
?

skullpatrol · Answer

Yes, and is distance ever negative?

anonymous · Answer

@allmightystew I don't even need the answer, I just need to attempt to explain to my teacher the difference. The slightest bit helps.

anonymous · Answer

Sorry, I lagged out. Wasn't letting me reply. Um. No, it can only be positive; right?

skullpatrol · Answer

Correct, the absolute value is the positive measure of the distance between the graph of the number and the origin on a number line.

anonymous · Answer

Soo. Negative three is just as it is; and |-3| is just the number of places between on a numberline to 0?

skullpatrol · Answer

What does |-3|=?

anonymous · Answer

3?

skullpatrol · Answer

Correct, by definition.

anonymous · Answer

Thanks. c: I appreciate it, though I did get a warning v - v I just didn't know how to explain it or anytthing. Thanks again.

skullpatrol · Answer

So let's finish the question, OK?

anonymous · Answer

Well, the only differnce now would be that -3 is less than 3. right?

skullpatrol · Answer

We can replace |-3| with 3, right? Because |-3|=3.

anonymous · Answer

Yeah

skullpatrol · Answer

What's the difference between |-3| and -3? 

becomes

What's the difference between 3 and -3?

anonymous · Answer

:o okay ythat makes sense. And the difference is 6 right?

skullpatrol · Answer

Yes, in math when we say the difference between  a and b we mean a-b, so here we would say  the difference between 3 and -3 is 3-(-3)=6.

anonymous · Answer

Yay Thank so much! that was really helpful i appreciate it sooo much

skullpatrol · Answer

Do you see how the numbers fit into the definition of subtraction?

anonymous · Answer

Yeah

skullpatrol · Answer

Do you know the definition of subtraction?

anonymous · Answer

the process or skill of taking one number or amount away from another.

skullpatrol · Answer

Yes, but I want the Algebraic formula for subtraction?

skullpatrol · Answer

$$\huge a-b=a+(-b)$$