What does absolute value represent?

Answer 1

It represents the distance of that number from 0. |1| would be 1, as would |-1|, because that's how far it is from 0. In constant terms, It just makes it positive. In variable terms, it can get complicated, as |x| isn't x, because x could = a negative number. The best way to answer a |x| question is:

= X if the value of X is a positive number, OR -X if the value of X is a negative number

Answer 2

The absolute value of a number is its distance, on the number line, of the number from 0.

If x is non-negative, its absolute value is x;

and if x is negative then the absolute value is -x (which is positive).