How do you simplify 2 abs(3(-3) -5)?

1 Answer
Jan 16, 2017

The answer is 28.

Explanation:

Following the order of operations, we simplify inside the absolute value signs first.

|3(-3) - 5|
The first step is to multiply the 3 and -3, which is -9.

|-9 - 5|
Next we subtract 5 from -9, which gives -14.

We are now left with |-14|. Absolute value can be thought of as the distance from 0 on the number line. We are 14 units away from 0, but since distance cannot be negative, |-14| becomes 14.

We are left with 2 x 14, which is 28, our answer.