Absolute values are always non-negative. This means they are either positive or zero, never negative. The absolute value of a number, represented by two vertical bars around it, like \(|x|\), is the distance of that number from 0 on the number line.
Here are some examples:
- The absolute value of -7 is 7, \(|-7| = 7\).
- The absolute value of 3 is 3, \(|3| = 3\).
- The absolute value of 0 is 0, \(|0| = 0\).
Even when dealing with negative numbers, the distance from 0 is positive. That’s the heart of the concept ‘absolute value’ – no matter where a number is on the number line, its absolute value is always a non-negative measure of distance from zero.