Absolute Value
Word Problems
m = measurement of the object you are
making.
g = the given measurement.
Error = the amount in which the object
you are making cannot be off.
Formula:
m  g  error
or
g  m  error
1. For a door to meet specifications at a
carpentry shop the width must be within ½ inch
of the expected width of the door. The shop
gets an order for doors that are 4 ½ feet wide.
Write an inequality that expresses the range of
widths for acceptable doors.
What is the formula?
m  g  error
Name the given
measure. (g)
g = 4 ½ feet = 54 in
What is the margin
of error?
error = ½ inch
Now plug in
Your information.
1
M  54 
2
UNITS
MUST
MATCH
2. For a door to meet specifications at a
carpentry shop the width must be within 1/8 inch
of the expected width of the door. The shop gets
an order for doors that are 4 feet wide. Write an
inequality that expresses the range of widths for
acceptable doors.
What is the formula?
m  g  error
Name the given
measure. (g)
g = 4 feet = 48 in
What is the margin
of error?
error = 1/8 inch
Now plug in
Your information.
1
M  48 
8
UNITS
MUST
MATCH
3. When manufacturing ¼ inch bolts the
difference between the size of the bolt and
¼ inch must be at most 3/100 inch to be
acceptable. Write an inequality for the
acceptable size of bolts using b for bolt size.
What is the formula?
m  g  error
Name the given
measure. (g)
g = ¼ inch
What is the margin
of error?
Now plug in
Your information.
error = 3/100 inch
1
3
b 
4 100
4. When manufacturing 7/16 inch bolts the
difference between the size of the bolt and
7/16 inch must be at most 1/100 inch to be
acceptable. Write an inequality for the
acceptable size of bolts using b for bolt size.
What is the formula?
m  g  error
Name the given
measure. (g)
g = 7/16 inch
What is the margin
of error?
Now plug in
Your information.
error = 1/100 inch
7
1
b

16 100
5. When Spheres-R-Us ships bags of golf balls,
each bag must contain 510 balls, plus or minus
5 balls. Write an inequality which represents an
acceptable number of golf balls in each bag.
What is the formula?
m  g  error
g = 510 balls
or
What is the margin
of error?
g  m  error
error = 5 balls
Now plug in
Your information.
b  510  5
Name the given
measure. (g)
or
510  b  5
6. When Spheres-R-Us ships bags of golf balls,
each bag must contain 860 balls, plus or minus
9 balls. Write an inequality which represents an
acceptable number of golf balls in each bag.
What is the formula?
m  g  error
or
g  m  error
Now plug in
Your information.
b  860  9 or
Name the given
measure. (g)
g = 860 balls
What is the margin
of error?
error = 9 balls
860  b  9
7. When Spheres-R-Us ships bags of golf balls,
each bag must contain 660 balls, plus or minus
8 balls. Write an inequality which represents an
acceptable number of golf balls in each bag.
What is the formula?
m  g  error
or
g  m  error
Now plug in
Your information.
b  660  8 or
Name the given
measure. (g)
g = 660 balls
What is the margin
of error?
error = 8 balls
660  b  8