To calculate the distance between two numbers on a number line, you can use a simple formula. The distance between any two points (a) and (b) can be expressed as:
[ \text{Distance} = |a - b| ]
In this case, we need to find the distance between -11 and 10. Let’s break it down step by step!
Understanding the Formula
The absolute value function, denoted by ( |x| ), is crucial in calculating distance because it ensures the distance is always a non-negative number. It effectively ignores any negative signs that would otherwise affect our distance measurement.
Step 1: Identify the Numbers
- Number 1 (a): -11
- Number 2 (b): 10
Step 2: Apply the Distance Formula
Now that we have our two numbers, we can substitute them into the distance formula.
[ \text{Distance} = |-11 - 10| ]
Step 3: Perform the Calculation
Let’s perform the calculation inside the absolute value first:
[ -11 - 10 = -21 ]
Now, take the absolute value:
[ |-21| = 21 ]
Conclusion
So, the distance between -11 and 10 is 21 units. This means if you were to place these points on a number line, there would be 21 units between them.
Visual Representation
To help visualize this, you can imagine a number line where -11 is located to the left of 0 and 10 is located to the right of 0. The number line would look something like this:
<---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|--->
-11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
The distance is simply the count of units between -11 and 10.
Key Points to Remember:
- Formula: The distance between two points (a) and (b) is ( |a - b| ).
- Absolute Value: It ensures the distance is always non-negative.
- Application: This concept applies to any two numbers you may need to compare on a number line.
By understanding and applying this simple distance calculation formula, you can easily determine the distance between any two numbers. Whether you're working with positive numbers, negative numbers, or a combination of both, the method remains consistent and straightforward! 😊