How many numbers have absolute value a, if a>0?
Mathematics · College · Mon Jan 18 2021
Answered on
If a is greater than zero (a > 0), there are exactly two numbers that have an absolute value of a. These two numbers are a itself and its additive inverse, which is -a.
Absolute value refers to the distance of a number from 0 on the number line, without considering the direction. Therefore, both a and -a are at the same distance from 0, which means they both have the same absolute value.
To illustrate this with an example: Let's say a = 5. The two numbers that have an absolute value of 5 are +5 and -5. This is because |+5| = 5 and |-5| = 5, where the | | symbols denote the absolute value