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  • Absolute Value is Absolutely not the Opposite

    Absolute Value is Absolutely not the Opposite

    I have frequently encountered the presentation of absolute value as a positive value or opposite. This is part of the repertoire of memory devices we (certainly I have in the past) use as a short cut to learning how to do the steps for a problem. The meaning of the absolute value of a number…

  • – symbol: negative vs subtraction

    – symbol: negative vs subtraction

    The use of the “-” symbol is challenging for many students. They don’t understand the difference between the use of the symbol in -3 vs 5 – 3. To address this I use a real life example of multiple uses of the same symbol (1st 2 photos below) then break down the “-” symbol (photo…