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College Algebra / Unit 5   Alg 256 short lesson, about 20 seconds

The Absolute Value Function

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The idea

The absolute value function is piecewise: f(x) = x for x ≥ 0 and −x for x < 0; its graph is a V cornered at the origin.

In practice

At x = −3, the second rule fires: f(−3) = −(−3) = 3 — the opposite of a negative input, which is the distance.

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