Final answer:
The distance between the points with coordinates -4 7/8 and 2 3/5 can be expressed as |2 3/5 - (-4 7/8)| or |-4 7/8 - 2 3/5|, reflecting the segment's length as a positive value.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asked to calculate the length of a segment with endpoints at -4 7/8 and 2 3/5. To determine the distance between two points on the number line, we subtract the smaller number from the larger number and take the absolute value. Since -4 7/8 is the smaller number, and 2 3/5 is the larger number, one absolute value expression could be |2 3/5 - (-4 7/8)|. Another expression could be |-4 7/8 - 2 3/5|, since the order in which we subtract does not matter when the result is being taken as an absolute value. These expressions ensure that the distance is positive, representing the true length of the segment regardless of direction.