1. Absolute Value

2. The magnitude of -2 is 2 because it is 2 steps away from zero.
Absolute Value
The absolute value (or magnitude) of a number is just the ‘number part’ without the sign.
It tells us how far the number is away from zero.
The magnitude of -2 is 2 because it is 2 steps away from zero.

3. Absolute Value
The symbol for absolute value is 2 straight, vertical lines with the number trapped inside.
| 2 | = 2 and | -2 | = 2
The absolute value of both 2 and -2 is 2 because they are both 2 steps away from zero.

4. Things are backwards in the negatives!
Absolute Value
As negative numbers get smaller and smaller, their absolute value increases!
-500 is smaller than -1
but 500 is bigger than 1
Things are backwards in the negatives!

5. | - 6 | = ( - 1 ) times | - 6 | = ( - 1)( 6 ) = - 6
Trickery!
Be careful if there is a negative sign in front of an absolute value sign!
| - 6 | = ( - 1 ) times | - 6 | = ( - 1)( 6 ) = - 6
- | 5 – 3 | = - 2

6. Absolute Value the distance a number is away from zero
the magnitude of the number
a grouping symbol