The top of a certain mountain in California has an altitude of 14,721 ft above sea level. The bottom Death Valley is 282 ft below sea level. using 0 as sea level, find the difference between these two elevations. what is the difference between these two elevations?

Okay. So you’re talking an elevation below and above sea level. It do this, let’s look for the absolute value of each number, which is the value away from 0 and is always positive. All you have to do is look at that number. That number is the distance away from 0 and if the number is negative, change it into a positive. The absolute value of 14,721 is 14,721 and the absolute value of 282 is 282. Let’s add both numbers. 14,721 + 282 = 15,003. There. The difference between those two elevations is 15,003 feet.