Question

How do you solve `-| 5| + | - 8| - 15`?

Answer 1

Take the absolute value of each term surrounded by an absolute value.

Explanation:

Solving an absolute value expression may seem complicated to many.

An absolute value is a magnitude of a number that can be expressed disregarding its sign (positive or negative/+ or -). Therefore, if you express an absolute value of `|-5|`, then it can be expressed as `5`, because you disregard the sign.

Knowing this, let's solve this expression.

`- |5| + |-8|-15`

Now, we have a negative sign, an absolute value of `5`. These stay the same. You then have a `+` followed by an absolute value of `|-8|`. An absolute value of `-8` is `8`. Finally, we have a `-15` (not absolute value).

We get this.

`=-5 + 8 - 15`

Now we just simplify.

`=-5 + 8 - 15`

`=-12`

Hope this helps :)