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Example

Simplifying Absolute Value Expressions

To simplify an expression involving absolute value, determine the distance of the number inside the bars from zero:

  • 3=3|3| = 3, because 3{3} is three units from 0{0}.
  • 44=44|-44| = 44, because 44{-44} is forty-four units from 0{0}.
  • 0=0|0| = 0, because 0{0} is zero units from itself.

Since absolute value measures distance, the result is always the non-negative version of the number inside the bars. For a positive number or zero, the absolute value equals the number itself; for a negative number, the absolute value equals its opposite.

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Updated 2026-04-21

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