ShmoopTube

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Here's an unshmoopy question you'll find on an exam somewhere in life...

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Which number is smallest?

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And here are the potential answers...

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So what's this question asking?

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Absolute value, converting fractions to decimals... and, well... really number lines? Just when

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you thought it was safe to go back into your algebra textbook...

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The best way to solve this one is to just... draw a number line. The reality is that all

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of these numbers are somewhere between 5 and 6.

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So... when we absolute value...ize a number, we get rid of the negative.

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Then we just need to figure out how far that number is from the origin.

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In this case, the first term -- absolute value of negative 6 -- is just... 6.

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It lives right here.

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5 and a quarter is 5.25, since 1 divided by 4 is 0.25.

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We do the same for 5 and 2/3. Two divided by 3 is point-666... roughly the devil's number.

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Answer D is already decimalized... and the 5.2 lives here.

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And lastly we have 5 and an eighth. One divided by 8 is 0.125... and 5.125 lives here.

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So the answer is 5.125... choice E.

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As in, "Everybody out of the water!"

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