Operations on

Real Numbers
Lesson 2.2

Absolute Value Operation

A numbers distance from 0 on the number

line is called the absolute value of the
number.
Example:
3 units

-4

-3

-2

-1

3 units

Therefore |3| = 3 and |-3| = 3.

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Opposites

Two numbers located on opposite sides of

the number line and with same absolute
value are called opposites of each other.
Example:
3 units

-4

-3

-2

-1

3 units

The numbers 3 and -3 are opposite of each other.

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Opposites

The opposite of 0 is 0.
Every number has a unique opposite.
The minus sign - which is used to signify
negative is also used to signify opposite.
Note that the words negative and opposite
are often used interchangeably
Example:
-(9) = -9 the opposite of 9 is negative 9

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Opposite of an Opposite

For any number a,

-(-a) = a.
Examples:
-(-12) = 12
-(-0.5) = 0.5
-(-(-8)) = -8

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Absolute Value Operation

Using opposites, we can give a symbolic

definition of absolute value
a if a is positive or zero
| a |
a if a is negative
Example:
If a = 7, since 7 is positive, then
| 7 | = 7.
If a = -7, since -7 is negative, then
|-7| = -(-7) = 7.

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Addition Operation

Sum of Two Numbers with Like Signs

To find the sum of two numbers with same sign:
Add their absolute values.
The sum has the same sign as the original
number.
Examples:

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6 + 7 = 13
(-5) + (-9) = -14

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Addition Operation

Sum of Two Numbers with Unlike Signs

To find the sum of two numbers with unlike signs:
Subtract their absolute values.
If the larger absolute value is positive, then the
sum is positive.
If the larger absolute value is negative, then the
sum is negative.
Examples:

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-7 + 10 = 3
-8 + 5 = -3
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Addition Operation

Sum of Opposites
For any number a,
a + (-a) = -a + a = 0
For this reason, a and a are called additive
inverses of each other.
Examples:

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-5 + 5 = 0
8 + (-8) = 0

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Addition Operation
Examples:

-6 + 13 = 7
-9 + (-7) = -16
2 + (-2) = 0
-35.4 + 2.51 = -32.89
-7 + 0.05 = -6.95

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Addition Operation
Example:

a c ad bc

Recall simple addition of fractions:
b d
bd

1 3 4 15


5 4 20 20

4 ( 15)

20
11
11

20
20
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Subtraction Operation

For any real numbers a and b, subtracting b

from a means
a b = a + (-b)
Examples:
10 4 = 10 + (-4) = 6
10 (-7) = 10 + 7 = 17
-7 3 = -7 + (-3) = -10
8 (-5) = 8 + (-(-5)) = 8 + 5 = 13
48 99 = 48 + (-99) = -51

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Multiplication Operation

The result of multiplying two numbers is

called the product of the numbers.
The numbers multiplied are factors.
The product of a and b may be written as

ab
ab
a(b) = (a)(b) = (a)b

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Multiplication Operation

Multiplication is just a short way of repeated

addition.

52 = 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10
5 times

5(-2) = (-2) + (-2) + (-2) +(-2) +(-2) = -10

5 times

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Multiplication Operation

Product of Signed Numbers

To find the product of two nonzero real numbers:
Multiply their absolute values
If numbers have the same sign, the product is
positive.
If numbers have the unlike signs, the product is
negative.

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15

Multiplication Operation
Examples:

2(8) = 16
(-3)(-6) = 18
-4(10) = -40
7(-3) = -21

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16

Multiplication Operation
Example:

a c ac

Recall multiplication of fractions:
b d bd

4 1
(4)(1)
4

9 5
(9)(5)
45

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17

Division Operation

Every nonzero real number a has

1
multiplicative inverse or reciprocal
a
such that
1 1
a a 1.
a a
Examples:
1

2 1
2

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3 5
1
5 3
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Division Operation

For any real numbers a and b with b 0, the

division a by b means

1
a b a
b

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Division Operation
Examples:

1 60
60 (2) 60
30
2 2

48
3
2
24 24
16
3
2
3

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Division by Zero

Division by zero are said to be undefined.

Examples:

5
50
0

is undefined.

0
00
0

is undefined.

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