The Algebra Teacher\'s Guide to Reteaching Essential Concepts and Skills

Name Date

WORKSHEET 1.21: FINDING ABSOLUTE VALUES

OF EXPRESSIONS

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You can think of the absolute value symbol as a special type of grouping symbol. When

working with expressions inside the absolute value symbol, you must find the absolute value

of the simplified expression.

EXAMPLES

| 3 − 10 |= |3(−6)|= |− 14 + 20 |= 3 |− 15 + 10 |=

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| 3 +(−10)|= |− 18 |= | 6 |= 3 |− 5 |=

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|− 7 |= 18 6 3(5)=

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7 15

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DIRECTIONS: Find each absolute value.

1. | 4 − 15 | 2. − 3 | 6 − 12 | 3. |(−7)(−4)|


2. | 15 + 26 | 5. 7 |3(−4)| 6. −| 15 − 46 |


3. |3(−4)|+|2(−18)| 8. − 3 | 26 − 12 | 9. | 5 − 4 |−|− 6 |


4. | 3 |+ 2 |− 10 | 11. |− 2 +(− 4 ×2)| 12. − 2 | 1 + 4 |

CHALLENGE:Fill in the blank with a single number so that the following

statement is true. There are two possible answers. Try to find both of them.

| 30 − |= 10

43

Copyright

©

2011 by Judith A. Muschla, Gary Robert Muschla, and Erin Muschla. All rights reserved.