document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=273676>Question 273676</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Suppose that a is a negative real number, determine whether which of the following is positive or negative.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a) -a <BR>\n" );
document.write( "b) |-a|<BR>\n" );
document.write( "c)-|a|<BR>\n" );
document.write( "d)-(-a)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "e)-|-a| </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #199912 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=199912\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> If 'a' is negative, then -a is the opposite of a negative number which means that -a is positive. Eg: if a=-2, then -a=-(-2)=2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Remember that the absolute value of ANY number is ALWAYS positive. So |-a| is positive regardless if 'a' is positive or negative.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "On the flip side, since absolute values are always positive, the opposite of an absolute value is negative. So -|a| is negative since |a| is positive.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Likewise, since |-a| is also positive (see above), -|-a| is negative since -|-a| is the opposite of |-a|. </SPAN>\n" );
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