How do you evaluate #| | 7- 12| - | 10||#?

1 Answer
Apr 4, 2017

#5#

Explanation:

The #color(blue)"absolute value"# is always positive since it is a measure of how far a number is from zero and distance is always positive.

#rArr|-4|=|4|=4# since both 4 and - 4 are 4 units from zero.

Evaluate the ' inner ' absolute values before evaluating the outer.

#| |color(red)(7-12)|-|color(red)(10)| |#

#=| |color(magenta)(-5)|-10|#

#=|5-10|#

#=|-5|#

#=5#