The Absolute

Value of Dance
Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________________________

In the dance Grand Square, the dancers’ opening position creates a diamond pattern, with one
couple at each corner of the diamond. The dancers face the couple across the diamond from them.

1. Couple A is standing at (0, 4)

2. Couple B is facing couple A and standing at (0, -4)
3. Couple C is standing at (-4, 0)
4. Couple D is facing couple C and standing at (4, 0)

Draw points on the coordinate plane to show where each pair of dancers is standing.

Assume that the distance from (0,0) to (0,1) is equal to one step. Compute the number of steps between
couple A and couple B.

______________ steps

Express this distance as an addition problem using absolute value.

_________________________________________________________________________

In the opening dance pattern, each dancer follows a precise pathway that creates four congruent
squares on the dance floor. Follow these dance instructions to plot dancers’ positions and pathways
on the graph below.

5. One of the dancers at (0, 4) moves four points down, then four points to the right, followed by
four points up, and finally four points to the left.

Draw points at each place that dancer stops and goes a different direction, and label each point with coordi-
nates.

6. The other dancer that starts at (0, 4) moves four points down, then four points to the left, fol-
lowed by four points up, and finally four points to the right.

Draw points at each place that dancer stops and goes a different direction, and label each point with
coordinates.

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 7. One of the dancers at (0, -4) moves four points up, then four points to the right, followed by four
points down, and finally four points to the left.

Draw points at each place that dancer stops and goes a different direction, and label each point with coordi-
nates.

8. The other dancer that starts at (0, -4) moves four points up, then four points to the left, followed
by four points down, and finally four points to the right.

Draw points at each place that dancer stops and goes a different direction, and label each point with coordi-
nates.

Assume that the distance from (0,0) to (0,1) is equal to one step. Compute the number of steps each
dancer in Couple A travels on the horizontal axis.

______________ steps

Express this distance as an addition problem using absolute value.

_________________________________________________________________________

Assume that the distance from (0,0) to (0,1) is equal to one step. Compute the number of steps each
dancer in Couple A travels on the vertical axis.

______________ steps

Express this distance as an addition problem using absolute value.

_________________________________________________________________________

Calculate the total number of steps made by each dancer in Couple A.

_________________________________________________________________________

Express this distance as an addition problem using absolute value.

_________________________________________________________________________

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