Investigation: Absolute Value

Glossary Checklist FAQ

Absolute Value

1. Suppose a man makes a \(\$10\) purchase at a store.
   
   
1. Would a positive or negative number be used to describe the change given to the man?
   
   
2. Would a positive or negative number be used to describe the change given to the store owner?
   
   
3. Both can state that they made a \(\$10\) transaction, but clearly something different happened to the amount of money each person has. What is special about the word “transaction” that allows it to be used by both individuals?
   
   
4. Will you ever encounter negative numbers when talking about the size of transactions? Explain.
   
   
2. On a number line, the distance from \(0\) to \(4\) is the same as the distance from \(0\) to \(–4\).
   
   
1. Why is this true?
   
   
2. Is the distance from \(0\) to \(a\) always the same as the distance from \(0\) to \(–a\)? Explain.