Absolute Value Definition
Look at the number line below. Drag the purple point to change the value of it. The distance of a from 0 on the number line will be shown, as well as the absolute value of the purple point.
1. As a gets larger in the positive direction, what happens to the distance from 0? To the absolute value?
2. As a gets more negative, what happens to the distance from 0? What happens to the absolute value?
3. Is there a value of a that creates a negative absolute value?
4. How are absolute value and distance from 0 related?
5. Give an example of two different numbers that have the same absolute value. Explain why they have the same absolute value.
content used from http://geogebratube.com/student/m3855, but modified.