Question

Which absolute value expression represents the distance between 3 and

9
2
on a number line?
A) |3 −
9
2
|
B) |3 − (−
9
2
)|
C) |−3 + (−
9
2
)|
D) |−3 −
9
2
)|

Answer 1

The distance between 3 and

9

2

on a number line is |3 −

9

2

|. The distance between two numbers is equal to the absolute value of their difference.

|3 −

9

2

| = |−

3

2

| =

3

2

Step-by-step explanation:

so the answer is A

Answer 2

From other source on the internet this question is:

Which absolute value expression represents the distance between 3 and - 2 on a number line?

Answer:

• |3 - (-2) |, or

• |-2 - 3|

Both are equivalent.

Step-by-step explanation:

The distance between two numbers in a number line is the absolute value of the difference between the two numbers.

Thus, the distance between a number x and a number y is |x - y|, which is also equivalent to |y - x|.

In this case the distance between 3 and - 2 can be represented by either of the expressions:

• |3 - (-2) |, or

• |-2 - 3|

Note that when you simplify them you get the same value:

• |3 - (-2) | = |3 + 2| = |5| = 5

• |-2 - 3| = | -5| = 5