The purpose of this task is to help students interpret signed numbers in a context as a magnitude and a direction and to make sense of the absolute value of a signed number as its magnitude.

This resource links to both the Fractions progression document published by the Common Core Writing Teams in June 2011 and the Module posted on the Illustrative Mathematics website.

This purpose of this task is to help students understand the absolute value of a number as its distance from 0 on the number line. The context is not realistic, nor is meant to be; it is a thought experiment to help students focus on the relative position of numbers on the number line.

Rational Numbers

Type of Unit: Concept

Prior Knowledge

Students should be able to:

Solve problems with positive rational numbers.
Plot positive rational numbers on a number line.
Understand the equal sign.
Use the greater than and less than symbols with positive numbers (not variables) and understand their relative positions on a number line.
Recognize the first quadrant of the coordinate plane.

Lesson Flow

The first part of this unit builds on the prerequisite skills needed to develop the concept of negative numbers, the opposites of numbers, and absolute value. The unit starts with a real-world application that uses negative numbers so that students understand the need for them. The unit then introduces the idea of the opposite of a number and its absolute value and compares the difference in the definitions. The number line and positions of numbers on the number line is at the heart of the unit, including comparing positions with less than or greater than symbols.

The second part of the unit deals with the coordinate plane and extends student knowledge to all four quadrants. Students graph geometric figures on the coordinate plane and do initial calculations of distances that are a straight line. Students conclude the unit by investigating the reflections of figures across the x- and y-axes on the coordinate plane.

Students revise their work on the Self Check based on feedback from the teacher and their peers.Key ConceptsConcepts from previous lessons are integrated into this assessment task: integers, absolute value, and comparing numbers. Students apply their knowledge, review their work, and make revisions based on feedback from the teacher and their peers. This process creates a deeper understanding of the concepts.Goals and Learning ObjectivesApply your knowledge of integers, absolute value, and comparing numbers to solve problems.Track and review your choice of strategy when problem solving.

Students identify whether an inequality statement is true or false using a number line to support their reasoning.Key ConceptsThe meaning of mThe meaning of n > m is that n is located to the right of m on a number line. The inequality statement n > m is read “n is greater than m.”To decide on the order of two numbers m and n, locate the numbers on a number line. If m is to the left of n, then m < n. If m is to the right of n, then m > n.Goals and Learning ObjectivesState whether an inequality is true or false.Use a number line to prove that an inequality is true or false.

Students analyze whether given statements are possible or impossible using their definitions of absolute value and the opposite of a number. If the statements are possible, students give an example of a pair of numbers that fit the statement. If the statements are impossible, students explain why.Key ConceptsA number and the opposite of the number always have the same absolute value.In general, taking the opposite of n changes the sign of n. For example, the opposite of 3 is −3.In general, taking the absolute value of n gives a number |n|, which is always positive. For example, |3| = 3 and |−3| = 3.Since the opposite of 0 is 0 (which is neither positive nor negative), therefore −0 = 0. The number 0 is the only number which is its own opposite.Goals and Learning ObjectivesFind pairs of numbers that satisfy different statements about absolute values and/or the opposites of numbers.State when it is impossible to find a pair of numbers that satisfies the statement and explain why.

Students answer questions about low temperatures recorded in Barrow, Alaska, to understand when to use negative numbers and when to use the absolute values of numbers.Key ConceptsThe absolute value of a number is its distance from 0 on a number line.The absolute value of a number n is written |n| and is read as “the absolute value of n.”A number and the opposite of the number always have the same absolute value. As shown in the diagram, |3| = 3 and |−3| = 3.In general, taking the opposite of n changes the sign of n. For example, the opposite of 3 is –3.In general, taking the absolute value of n gives a number, |n|, that is always positive unless n = 0. For example, |3| = 3 and |−3| = 3.The absolute value of 0 is 0, which is neither positive nor negative: |0| = 0.Goals and Learning ObjectivesUnderstand when to talk about a number as negative and when to talk about the absolute value of a number.Locate the absolute value of a and the absolute value of b on a number line that shows the location of a and b in different places in relation to 0.

The intent of clarifying statements is to provide additional guidance for educators to communicate the intent of the standard to support the future development of curricular resources and assessments aligned to the 2021 math standards.  Clarifying statements can be in the form of succinct sentences or paragraphs that attend to one of four types of clarifications: (1) Student Experiences; (2) Examples; (3) Boundaries; and (4) Connection to Math Practices.

Navigate the number line while diving amidst shipwrecks and sunken ruins. Will you find a pearl, or an old boot? Watch out for the electric eel! Pearl Diver teaches properties of numbers, how to plot numbers, how to visualize quantity on the number line, how to order numbers, and how to use the number line as a visual model for mathematical operations.

This is an activity with absolute value of integers. This is a fun card game that gets your kids involved with finding and comparing absolute value.