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Exercises Numbers, fractions and percents

Example 3.9 from Prealgebra, 3.1 Introduction to Integers

Introduction to Integers: example 3.9

Simplify:

ⓐ $| 9 −3 |$
ⓑ $4 | −2 |$

Work it out on paper first. Then open the solution one step at a time, and stop as soon as you can finish on your own.

Solution
For each expression, follow the order of operations. Begin inside the absolute value symbols just as with parentheses.

ⓐ

|9−3|

Simplify inside the absolute value sign. |6|

Take the absolute value. 6

ⓑ

4|−2|

Take the absolute value. 4⋅2

Multiply. 8

Your turn

The book's Try It right after this example: same idea, new numbers. Only the answer is given.

Simplify:

ⓐ $| 12 - 9 |$
ⓑ $3 | −6 |$

How did it go?

PreviousIntroduction to Integers: example 3.8 Next Introduction to Integers: example 3.10

From Prealgebra (1st edition) by OpenStax (Rice University), section 3.1, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Original at openstax.org. We split the solution into steps; the words, numbers and figures are the book's. OpenStax doesn't endorse this site.