Why does #|x|=-x# as #x -> -oo#?

I don't really see why.

If x is a negative number shouldn't the absolute value of that number be it's exact opposite?

1 Answer
Feb 21, 2018

That's how the modulus function is defined.

Explanation:

The function #|x|# is defined to be equal to #x# as long as #x# is positive (or zero), and #-x# when #x<0#. This means that #|x|=-x# is true as long as #x# is negative, not just as #x to -infty#.

Note that when #x=-3#, for example, #-x# is +3 - the "size" of the number #x#.