AV and Integers Word Problems Week 3

​Absolute Value and Integers in Word Problems

By Sharon Aguilar

Lesson Objective

​Students will be able to solve word problems involving absolute value and integers.

Multiple Choice

Warm Up Question

If the temperature drops to –6° and then rises to 2°, how far did the temperature move?

• 8 degrees

• -8 degrees

• 4 degrees

• -4 degrees

Warm Up Answer

If the temperature drops to –6° and then rises to 2°, how far did the temperature move?

The question isn’t asking where the temperature ends—it’s asking how far it moved. That idea connects to absolute value, which measures distance from zero.

Key Terms:

• Integer – a positive number, negative number, or zero

• Absolute Value – the distance from zero on a number line

• Distance – how far apart two points are

  • Distance is ALWAYS positive.

Example:

A game score changes from –4 points to 3 points. How many points did the score change?

Example:

A hiker is tracking elevation using a map. One point shows –2 feet, and another shows 5 feet. How far apart are the two elevations?

When solving think to yourself:

• What integers are given?

• Are we finding position or distance?

• How many units from –2 to 0? From 0 to 5?

Your Turn:

A digital thermometer changes from –8° to –3°.
How much did the temperature change?

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

A fitness app shows a change in elevation from –1 to 6.
How far is the change?

• 6

• 7

• 8

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

Knowledge Check

What does absolute value tell us in word problems?

• Whether a number is negative

• The direction of movement

• The distance from zero

• The total of two numbers