{"id":3062,"date":"2022-01-19T18:13:17","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T18:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.testgeek.com\/blog\/?p=3062"},"modified":"2022-02-15T19:54:39","modified_gmt":"2022-02-15T19:54:39","slug":"solve-absolute-value-questions-on-the-sat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.testgeek.com\/blog\/solve-absolute-value-questions-on-the-sat\/","title":{"rendered":"Solve Absolute Value Questions on the SAT [Complete Guide]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SAT absolute value problems are one of those sneaky topics that can pop up on the test and catch you off guard. They aren’t super common, so you may not even run into one when you take an SAT practice test, but it is <\/em>a topic that’s sometimes tested on the SAT. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Absolute values are always positive \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve mastered the more common SAT math topics (like linear equations<\/a> and linear inequalities<\/a>) and you’re ready to work through some of the less common topics, this is a great place to start. We’ll cover everything you need to know about absolute value for the SAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking for more SAT Math help? Check Out Test Geek\u2019s Free SAT Study Guide.<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

What is Absolute Value?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First things first. An absolute value looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Or this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Or even this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get the idea? It’s anything with those bars on either side. The bars tell us to take the absolute value of whatever is inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But let’s back up. What is <\/em>absolute value?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolute value tells us how far a number is from zero on the number line. It’s a distance <\/em>measurement. And the key thing to remember is that distance is always positive. <\/strong> You can’t be -5 miles from your school. You’re just 5 miles from school. This rings true for absolute value. Let’s walk through this using a number line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How far is 3 from zero on the number line?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3 is 3 places from zero. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This takes us all the way back to when we first learned counting. Simple, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about -3? How far is -3 from zero on the number line? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It’s still 3 places from zero. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When we take the absolute value of a number, we’re determining how far it is from zero on the number line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Many Absolute Value Problems are on the SAT?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is an important question to ask about any <\/em> SAT math topic. Topic frequency can help you prioritize which topics to study during test prep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAT absolute value problems are quite rare. You’ll either have 0 or 1 absolute value problems on the SAT Math section. So, basically, a 50\/50 shot of seeing this topic at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, before you spend too much time on absolute value problems, make sure you’re very confident in your ability to solve linear equation questions<\/a>, which are far more frequently tested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling Overwhelmed? Get 1-on-1 SAT Help from a Test Geek Tuto<\/a><\/strong>r.<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

How is Absolute Value Tested on the SAT?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you’ve answered the question “what is absolute value,” you’re ready to tackle how this concept is tested on the SAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolute value problems can be tested as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n