What is the distance between -8 and 12 on a number line?

1 Answer
Oct 27, 2017

The distance is 20 in absolute value, -8 is +20 spots away from 12, and 12 is -20 spots away from 8.

Explanation:

Absolute Value

You need to find how far away both numbers are from zero, then add these values together to see how far apart these numbers. The absolute value of eight, |-8| is 8, and |12| is 12. This means that the eight is eight spots away from zero, and twelve is twelve spots from zero. This means that the numbers are 20 units from eachother.

Distance -8 is from 12

You need to find how much of an increase from eight you need to reach the twelve. So -8 + ? = 12. What number can you add to equal twelve? You can add 20 to make the equation true. (? = 20) The distance from -8 to 12 is a positive 20.

Distance from 12 to -8.

This is similar to the previous example. What number can you insert to make the 12 equal the negative eight? 12 - ? = -8. The number would be -20, which means that 12 is 20 spots away from the negative eight, as it took at negative twenty to get us to the negative eight.

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