Answer
$|\displaystyle \frac{5}{2}| = |-2.5|,\quad$ fill the box with $ = .$
Work Step by Step
The absolute value of a real number a, denoted by $|a|$, is the distance from 0 to a on a number line.
Because absolute value describes a distance, it is never negative.
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The distance from $\displaystyle \frac{5}{2}$ to zero is $\displaystyle \frac{5}{2}$ units ,
$|\displaystyle \frac{5}{2}|=\frac{5}{2},\qquad$
The distance from $-2.5$ to zero is $2.5$ units,
$|-2.5|=2.5=\displaystyle \frac{25}{10}\qquad$ ... reduce with $5$
$=\displaystyle \frac{5}{2}$
They are equal, and we write
$|\displaystyle \frac{5}{2}| = |-2.5|,\quad$ fill the box with $ = .$
