Question

Which of the following correctly uses absolute value to show the distance between -50 and 12? (5 points)

A) |-50 - 12|
B) |-50 + 12|
C) |50 - 12|
D) |50 + 12|

Answer 1

The correct representation of the distance between -50 and 12 on a number line using absolute value is |-50 - 12|, which equals 62.

Step-by-step explanation:

The absolute value symbol is used to represent the distance between two points on a number line, regardless of direction. To find the distance between -50 and 12, we simply need to subtract one number from the other and take the absolute value of the result. This ensures that we are left with a non-negative number, representing the magnitude of the distance between the two points.

The correct way to express this calculation is |-50 - 12|, which represents the absolute value of the difference between -50 and 12. When you perform the subtraction inside the absolute value, -50 minus 12 gives us -62. Taking the absolute value of -62 yields 62, which is the distance between the two numbers on the number line.

Thus, the correct answer is:

A) |-50 - 12|