Comparing Absolute Values: |-1/3| and |3| - Are They Opposite Numbers?

Question

Are the numbers opposite?

13,31 \left|-\frac{1}{3}\right|,\left|\frac{3}{1}\right|

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Compute the absolute value of each given number.
  • Step 2: Determine if the numbers are opposites based on their absolute values.

Now, let's proceed step-by-step:

Step 1: Calculate the absolute values.
The absolute value of a number gives its distance from zero on the number line, disregarding its sign.

13\left|-\frac{1}{3}\right|
The negative sign is removed by the absolute value, so:
13=13 \left|-\frac{1}{3}\right| = \frac{1}{3} 31 \left|\frac{3}{1}\right|
The absolute value remains the same as there is no negative sign:
31=3 \left|\frac{3}{1}\right| = 3

Step 2: Determine if the numbers are opposites.

Two numbers are considered opposites if their sum equals zero. In this case, we compare the results:

The absolute values we found were 13 \frac{1}{3} and 3 3 . These numbers do not meet the condition for being opposites since their sum 13+3=103 \frac{1}{3} + 3 = \frac{10}{3} is not equal to zero.

Therefore, the numbers are not opposites.

Therefore, the correct answer is No.

Answer

No