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In Mathematics / Middle School | 2014-09-11

When are the absolute value and the opposite of a rational number equal?

Asked by Anonymous

Answer (3)

Absolute value of X can be treated as a distance on the number line from zero to X, so it has no sign (or it's always positive, never negative). For example ∣ X ∣ = X but also: ∣ − X ∣ = X
That means that the absolute value of a rational number and its opposite may only be equal, if the rational number is lower than 0 (see the example above).

Answered by MaciekMind | 2024-06-10

In Mathematics, the absolute value and the opposite of a rational number are equal when the rational number is zero. This is because the absolute value of zero is zero, and the opposite of zero is also zero. ;

Answered by MonteBlue | 2024-06-18

The absolute value and the opposite of a rational number are equal only when the rational number is zero. For any other rational number, the absolute value is always non-negative, while the opposite is either negative or zero. Therefore, the only solution is x = 0.
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Answered by MaciekMind | 2024-10-02