SOLUTION: I need help on these two questions for a math pre-test for homework. The two has a # line, but i will still tell you. The instructions are identify the graphed number with the grea

Algebra ->  Absolute-value -> SOLUTION: I need help on these two questions for a math pre-test for homework. The two has a # line, but i will still tell you. The instructions are identify the graphed number with the grea      Log On


   



Question 359497: I need help on these two questions for a math pre-test for homework. The two has a # line, but i will still tell you. The instructions are identify the graphed number with the greater absolut value: the # line...
___________________________ .= -3 and +1
-4 . -2 -1 0 . 2 3 4

2nd one
______________________________ .= -2 and +4
-4 -3 . -1 0 1 2 3 .
if you can answer this by October 21, 2010 that would be great !!!! + it is due 2morrow!!! AHHHH! Please reply back ASAP!!!

Answer by neatmath(302) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Well, you don't really need a number line to solve this.

Whenever you use absolute value, you are in a sense, just finding the number's distance from the number line.

Absolute value is defined as this for |x|:

If x<0, then |x|=-x

If x>=0, then |x|=x

So for your first example, you have -3 and +1

The absolute value of -3 is 3

The absolute value of +1 is 1

3 is bigger than 1, so -3 has a bigger absolute value!

For your second example of -2 and +4

The absolute value of -2 is 2

The absolute value of +4 is 4

Thus +4 would have the bigger absolute value.

And in both cases, the number with the BIGGER absolute value would be farther away from zero on the number line.

In general, the farther away you get from zero on the number line, the bigger the absolute value of those numbers!!!

I hope this helps!