Solve Absolute Value Expression: Finding |−3.5|

Q: Why can't the absolute value be negative?

Distance is never negative! Think of absolute value as how far you are from zero. Whether you walk 3.5 steps left or right from zero, you still walked 3.5 steps total.

Q: What happens with positive numbers like |3.5|?

Positive numbers stay the same! $ |3.5| = 3.5 $ because 3.5 is already 3.5 units away from zero in the positive direction.

Q: Is there ever a time when absolute value equals zero?

Yes! Only when the number inside is zero: $ |0| = 0 $. Zero is exactly 0 units away from itself, so the distance is 0.

Q: How do I remember which sign to use?

Think "always positive or zero"! No matter what's inside the absolute value bars, your answer should never be negative unless you made an error.

Q: Can I have absolute value with fractions too?

Absolutely! $ |-\frac{1}{2}| = \frac{1}{2} $ works the same way. Just remove the negative sign and keep the positive distance from zero.

Absolute Value with Negative Decimals

What is the value of $\left| -3.5 \right|$ ?

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Step-by-step written solution

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Understand the problem

What is the value of $\left| -3.5 \right|$ ?

Step-by-step solution

The absolute value of a number is the distance of the number from 0 on a number line, regardless of direction. Therefore, the absolute value of $-3.5$ is the same as moving 3.5 units away from 0, which results in $3.5$ . Hence, $\left| -3.5 \right| = 3.5$ .

Final Answer

$3.5$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Definition: Absolute value is always the distance from zero
Method: Remove the negative sign: $|-3.5| = 3.5$
Check: Count 3.5 units from zero in either direction ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Keeping the negative sign in the answer
Don't write |-3.5| = -3.5 because that's still negative! Absolute value measures distance, which is always positive or zero. Always remove the negative sign to get the positive distance from zero.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Determine the absolute value of the following number:

$\left|18\right|=$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't the absolute value be negative?

Distance is never negative! Think of absolute value as how far you are from zero. Whether you walk 3.5 steps left or right from zero, you still walked 3.5 steps total.

What happens with positive numbers like |3.5|?

Positive numbers stay the same! $|3.5| = 3.5$ because 3.5 is already 3.5 units away from zero in the positive direction.

Is there ever a time when absolute value equals zero?

Yes! Only when the number inside is zero: $|0| = 0$ . Zero is exactly 0 units away from itself, so the distance is 0.

How do I remember which sign to use?

Think "always positive or zero"! No matter what's inside the absolute value bars, your answer should never be negative unless you made an error.

Can I have absolute value with fractions too?

Absolutely! $|-\frac{1}{2}| = \frac{1}{2}$ works the same way. Just remove the negative sign and keep the positive distance from zero.

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