The absolute value of a number is its distance from 0 on the number line. Since distance is always greater than or equal to 0, the absolute value of any number is greater than or equal to 0.
- 3.6, 1.2, |- 1.8|, 2, |4.5|
Practice makes perfect
The absolute value of a number is its distance from 0 on the number line. Since distance is always greater than or equal to 0, the absolute value of any number is greater than or equal to 0. The absolute value of a non-negative number is equal to the number, while the absolute value of a negative number is equal to its opposite.
We want to order the given values from least to greatest.
|4.5|, - 3.6, 2, |- 1.8|, 1.2
Next, we can simplify the given numbers.
ccc
|4.5|= 4.5 & & |- 1.8|= 1.8
Now, we can list the simplified values.
|4.5|, - 3.6, 2, |- 1.8|, 1.2
⇕
4.5, - 3.6, 2, 1.8, 1.2
We will plot the numbers on a number line to see the order from least to greatest.
The number that is the farthest to the left is - 3.6, so it is the least from the list. The farthest to the right is |4.5|, so it is the greatest. We can write the integers in order from least to greatest by moving from left to right on the number line.
- 3.6, 1.2 , |- 1.8| , 2 , |4.5|
