Final answer:
In the absolute value function f(x) = |ax|, 'a' represents the coefficient of the x-term within the absolute value.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find 'a' in an absolute value function of the form f(x) = |ax|, 'a' is identified as the coefficient of the x-term within the absolute value.
This means that 'a' is the number that is multiplied by x before taking the absolute value. Therefore, the answer to the question is a) 'a' is the coefficient of the x-term within the absolute value.