Absolute Value

Read page 358 in the textbook.

For a real number a, the absolute value is written as a

and is a positive number. The two vertical bars around a
number or expression are used to represent the absolute
value.
Absolute value can be used to represent the distance of a
number from zero (on a real number line).

 Plot 1 point to the left of 0 and 1 point to the right of 0 on the number line below.

 How many units are between these two points? ________

 Calculate the distance between the points in two different ways.

In general, the absolute value of a real number a is defined as

a, if a  0 (Case 1)

a 
a, if a  0 (Case 2)

 Geometrically, the absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line, regardless of
direction.
 Evaluate the numerical expression inside the absolute value symbol first using order of operations and then take
the absolute value of the resulting expression.

For 3 ,
a) Using the definition above, what is the “a” value? _____ Which case is it? ___________

b) By definition, a  ______ if ___________ therefore 3

For 3 ,
a) Using the definition above, what is the “a” value? _____ Which case is it? __________

b) By definition, a  ________ if ___________ therefore 3 

Examples:
1 13
1. Write the real numbers in order from least to greatest: 3 ,  2, 1.05,  , 0.5 ,  1.25
3 4
2. Evaluate.

a) 3  4 b) 15(3)  62 c) 5  2 12  8

16
d) 3(5  2) 2   3(12)  1  10
8

3. Wesley volunteers at a local hospital. One day, he takes the elevator from the first floor up to the sixth floor to see his
supervisor. His list of tasks for that day sends him down to the second floor to work in the gift shop, then up to the
fourth floor to visit with patients and then down to the first floor to greet visitors and patients. What is the total change
in floors for Wesley that day?
 To do this, list all the floors he visited that day in the correct order.

F1  F2  F3  F4  F5 

 Now use the information above to find his total change in floors.

4. On stock markets, individual stock and bond values fluctuate a great deal, especially when the markets are volatile. A
particular stock on the TSX opened the month at $13.55 per share, dropped to $12.70, increased to $14.05, and closed
the month at $13.85. Determine the total change in the value of this stock for the month.

a, if a  0
5. If a   , then
a, if a  0
 
 
x5   now isolate x for the restriction: x5  
 
 
 
 
2m  1   now isolate m for the restriction: 2m  1  
 
 
 By definition, x2  x

6. Use the definition above to solve the following quadratic equations without using Square Root Principle.

a) x2  9 b) x 2  100  0 c) ( x  5)2  36

Practice:

1. Evaluate.
10
5   3  22  4 2  (3  9) c) 7  3 2  (5  1)  12
2
a) b)
5

2. On Monday the high temperature for the day was – 4°C. On Tuesday the high temperature for the day was 2°C. On
Wednesday the high temperature for the day was – 3°C. On Thursday the high temperature for the day was – 8°C. On
Friday the high temperature for the day was – 9°C. On Saturday the high temperature for the day was 1°C. On Sunday
the high temperature for the day was 10°C. Determine the total change in temperature for the week.

a, if a  0
3. If a   , then
a, if a  0

 
 
x6   now isolate x for the restriction: x6  
 
 

 
 
3n  5   now isolate n for the restriction: 3n  5  
 
 