Just do the problem normally, then turn it to a positive. Remember it as distance from 0.
|5 - 7| = |-2| so |5 - 7| = 2
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I already know that. I'm usually pretty good with absolute values because I know that he absolute value of a number is always positive unless affected by other numbers or signs outside of the lines. For instance, |-5| = 5 and |-5| + |5| = 5 + 5 = 10. Meanwhile, -|5| = -(5) = -5. I don't usually think of number lines when I do absolute values. This is why I'm all discombobulated.