Question

A coal mine worker is 650 feet below the ground in a mine. Another coal mine worker is 7 feet above ground operating machinery.

Write an integer for the position of each worker relative to the ground.
Find the absolute value of each integer.
Which worker is farther from the ground surface?

Answer 1

The first coal mine worker is 650 feet below, so they're -650 ft.

The second coal mine worker is 7 feet above, so they're +7 ft.

| -650 | = 650 ft

| 7 | = 7 ft

650 > 7, so the first worker is farther from the surface.