Question

Devin is trying to explain absolute value, but he’s having some trouble. He says “absolute value makes everything positive.” In this discussion, you'll work with your classmates to determine the validity of Devin’s statement. Here are some ideas to get you started with your first post:

Describe why you think Devin's statement is completely correct, completely incorrect, or partially correct.
Use mathematical examples and/or counterexamples to justify your reasoning.

Does Devin's statement need to be rephrased or clarified in some way? Explain.

If you think Devin's statement is not completely correct, propose a better explanation of absolute value that could help struggling students like Devin understand it.

Answer 1

Devin's statement is somewhat correct. It turns all numbers != 0 positive. 0 is neither negative nor positive, but the abs of 0 is 0. So his statement should be rephrased like so: "Absolute value turns all numbers != 0 positive. Zero is a special case because it is neither negative nor positive and the absolute value of zero is zero."