The absolute value is the positive magnitude of a particular number or variable and is indicated by two vertical lines: \(\left|-5\right| = 5\). In the case of a variable absolute value (\(\left|a\right| = 5\)) the value of a can be either positive or negative (a = -5 or a = 5).

A factorial is the product of an integer and all the positive integers below it. To solve a fraction featuring factorials, expand the factorials and cancel out like numbers:

\( \frac{6!}{3!} \)
\( \frac{6 \times 5 \times 4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1}{3 \times 2 \times 1} \)
\( \frac{6 \times 5 \times 4}{1} \)
\( 6 \times 5 \times 4 \)
120

An integer is any whole number, including zero. An integer can be either positive or negative. Examples include -77, -1, 0, 55, 119.

To raise a term with an exponent to another exponent, retain the base and multiply the exponents:

The ratio of football cards to baseball cards is 9:2 and the ratio of baseball cards to basketball cards is 9:1. To solve this problem, we need the baseball card side of each ratio to be equal so we need to rewrite the ratios in terms of a common number of baseball cards. (Think of this like finding the common denominator when adding fractions.) The ratio of football to baseball cards can also be written as 81:18 and the ratio of baseball cards to basketball cards as 18:2. So, the ratio of football cards to basketball cards is football:baseball, baseball:basketball or 81:18, 18:2 which reduces to 81:2.