complex numbers

The absolute value is the distance the value has form zero. In the real numbers we can just look at the point on the number line and that's easy it's just the positive value of an real number.

For a complex number we look at the complex plane, the distance from zero of any value on a plane is calculated by plotting the point and using the line from that point to the origin, you can create a right angled triangle then using the Pythagoras theorem you can work out the length of that line and therefore the distance from zero...otherwise known as the absolute value of a complex number.

In this case we have:

$\sqrt{6^2+8^2} = \sqrt{64+36}$ $=\sqrt{100}$ $=10$

Believe it or not this relates to the Pythagorean Theorem. So all you have to do is add 6² and 8². Then square roots the answer which is 10.