Question

What is the value of the expression |-5x+12| when x=5

Answer 1

First, plug in 5 for x:

| -5 * 5 + 12 | = |-25 + 12| = |-13|

Those two lines are absolute value, which measures the distance from the number to 0 on a number line. This distance is always positive.

The distance from -13 to 0 on a number line is 13. The answer is 13.

Answer 2

|-5x + 12|

|-5(5) + 12| = |-25 + 12|

|-25 + 12| = |-13|

|-13| = 13