Step-by-step explanation:
The absolute value is a means of measuring the distance of a number from the origin along the number line. Regardless of the position (positive or negative) of a number on the number line, its distance from the origin will be positive. Thus, the absolute value will always be positive, or 0 if if solving for the absolute value of 0).
Suppose that we're tasked to find the ansolute value of 8. As per the definition of absolute value of numbers, we know that -8 and 8 are both 8 units away from zero on the number line.
These same rules apply when solving absolute value equations, for which we have to set up the equations as positive and negative equations:
If a is positive, and |x| = a, then:
x = a or x = -a
