This week in PreCalc 11, we learned about Absolute Values (of a real number, is the square root of the square root of a number. In simpler form, it’s the distance of a number on the number line from 0, and can only be a positive. So, the absolute value of -5 would be 5) and Roots/Radicals (a radical expression is defined as any expression containing a radical (√) symbol. It can be used to describe a cube root, a fourth root, or higher depending on the what the index is. The index is the number on the top left corner outside the radical symbol. A root is, when multiplied by itself is given a number. So, 2 is the root of 4 because 2×2=4)

The things we did were pretty straight forward this week, but the hardest thing I came across was evaluating expressions that had absolute values in them.

Example:

Explanation:

Step 1: find the absolute value first

I personally do this first because when the number you’re trying to figure out the absolute value for is a negative, then it turns into a positive so it’s easier to get that out of the way first. In this example, the value of a positive so we just keep it a positive

Step 2: finish the rest of the expression

The rest is simple BEDMAS, and trying to find the answer. Don’t forget, the math in the brackets should be done first, and then the rest follows.