Question

Mack is working on his science project. He dropped a ball filled with sand from the balcony of a building 42 feet from the ground. Which of the following statements are true? *

Mack's ball travelled a distance of 42 feet because |-42| is 42
Mack's ball travelled a distance of -42 feet because |-42| is -42
Mack's ball travelled a distance of 0 feet because |0| is 0 and the ball ended at ground level
Mack's ball travelled a distance of 24 feet because |-42| is 24

Answer 1

The first statement is true; the ball traveled 42 feet because |-42| is 42.  Absolute value is distance; distance, while it can have direction, cannot be negative.