Question

How do you simplify `|2| + |-6| - |3| - |-4|`?

Answer 1

`1`

Explanation:

The long bars that surround numbers are absolute values. Absolute values are the distance from `0` to that number. They always remain positive, because only the distance, not the direction, is taken into account when absolute value is measured on the number line.

A simple way to remember the concept without necessarily understanding it: the absolute value of any number is always that number, positive. For example:

`abs(-6) = 6`

or

`abs(100) = 100`

Moving on to your question:

`abs2 + abs(-6) - abs(3) - abs(-4)`

This simplifies to:

`2 + 6 - 3 - 4`

We can combine these numbers to get:

`1`