November 02, 2022

Absolute ValueDefinition, How to Calculate Absolute Value, Examples

Many comprehend absolute value as the distance from zero to a number line. And that's not inaccurate, but it's by no means the complete story.

In math, an absolute value is the magnitude of a real number without considering its sign. So the absolute value is all the time a positive zero or number (0). Let's observe at what absolute value is, how to discover absolute value, few examples of absolute value, and the absolute value derivative.

Definition of Absolute Value?

An absolute value of a number is at all times positive or zero (0). It is the magnitude of a real number without regard to its sign. This refers that if you possess a negative figure, the absolute value of that figure is the number disregarding the negative sign.

Definition of Absolute Value

The previous explanation means that the absolute value is the length of a figure from zero on a number line. Hence, if you think about it, the absolute value is the length or distance a number has from zero. You can visualize it if you look at a real number line:

As demonstrated, the absolute value of a figure is the distance of the figure is from zero on the number line. The absolute value of negative five is 5 due to the fact it is 5 units away from zero on the number line.

Examples

If we plot -3 on a line, we can see that it is three units apart from zero:

The absolute value of negative three is three.

Well then, let's look at another absolute value example. Let's assume we have an absolute value of sin. We can graph this on a number line as well:

The absolute value of six is 6. Therefore, what does this tell us? It shows us that absolute value is always positive, regardless if the number itself is negative.

How to Locate the Absolute Value of a Number or Figure

You need to know few things prior working on how to do it. A few closely associated properties will support you grasp how the number within the absolute value symbol functions. Fortunately, here we have an definition of the ensuing four fundamental properties of absolute value.

Essential Properties of Absolute Values

Non-negativity: The absolute value of ever real number is at all time positive or zero (0).

Identity: The absolute value of a positive number is the figure itself. Alternatively, the absolute value of a negative number is the non-negative value of that same expression.

Addition: The absolute value of a sum is lower than or equal to the total of absolute values.

Multiplication: The absolute value of a product is equivalent to the product of absolute values.

With above-mentioned 4 basic characteristics in mind, let's take a look at two more helpful characteristics of the absolute value:

Positive definiteness: The absolute value of any real number is always positive or zero (0).

Triangle inequality: The absolute value of the variance within two real numbers is lower than or equal to the absolute value of the sum of their absolute values.

Now that we learned these properties, we can in the end initiate learning how to do it!

Steps to Discover the Absolute Value of a Number

You need to obey a couple of steps to calculate the absolute value. These steps are:

Step 1: Write down the figure of whom’s absolute value you desire to calculate.

Step 2: If the number is negative, multiply it by -1. This will convert the number to positive.

Step3: If the expression is positive, do not change it.

Step 4: Apply all characteristics significant to the absolute value equations.

Step 5: The absolute value of the expression is the number you get subsequently steps 2, 3 or 4.

Bear in mind that the absolute value sign is two vertical bars on both side of a figure or expression, similar to this: |x|.

Example 1

To start out, let's consider an absolute value equation, such as |x + 5| = 20. As we can observe, there are two real numbers and a variable inside. To solve this, we are required to find the absolute value of the two numbers in the inequality. We can do this by observing the steps mentioned above:

Step 1: We are provided with the equation |x+5| = 20, and we are required to discover the absolute value within the equation to solve x.

Step 2: By using the basic characteristics, we learn that the absolute value of the addition of these two figures is as same as the sum of each absolute value: |x|+|5| = 20

Step 3: The absolute value of 5 is 5, and the x is unknown, so let's get rid of the vertical bars: x+5 = 20

Step 4: Let's calculate for x: x = 20-5, x = 15

As we see, x equals 15, so its length from zero will also be as same as 15, and the equation above is right.

Example 2

Now let's work on another absolute value example. We'll use the absolute value function to find a new equation, similar to |x*3| = 6. To get there, we again need to follow the steps:

Step 1: We hold the equation |x*3| = 6.

Step 2: We have to calculate the value x, so we'll start by dividing 3 from each side of the equation. This step offers us |x| = 2.

Step 3: |x| = 2 has two potential solutions: x = 2 and x = -2.

Step 4: Therefore, the original equation |x*3| = 6 also has two possible solutions, x=2 and x=-2.

Absolute value can contain several complicated values or rational numbers in mathematical settings; however, that is something we will work on separately to this.

The Derivative of Absolute Value Functions

The absolute value is a constant function, this refers it is differentiable everywhere. The following formula provides the derivative of the absolute value function:

f'(x)=|x|/x

For absolute value functions, the area is all real numbers except 0, and the distance is all positive real numbers. The absolute value function rises for all x<0 and all x>0. The absolute value function is consistent at zero(0), so the derivative of the absolute value at 0 is 0.

The absolute value function is not differentiable at 0 because the left-hand limit and the right-hand limit are not equivalent. The left-hand limit is given by:

I'm →0−(|x|/x)

The right-hand limit is provided as:

I'm →0+(|x|/x)

Considering the left-hand limit is negative and the right-hand limit is positive, the absolute value function is not differentiable at 0.

Grade Potential Can Assist You with Absolute Value

If the absolute value seems like a difficult topic, or if you're having a tough time with math, Grade Potential can guide you. We provide one-on-one tutoring by professional and authorized instructors. They can assist you with absolute value, derivatives, and any other concepts that are confusing you.

Call us today to learn more about how we can assist you succeed.