MathCastle
Grade 6SuperchallengeAbsolute Value

Absolute Value · Superchallenge problem

The six numbers −6, −4, −1, 2, 3, 7-6,\ -4,\ -1,\ 2,\ 3,\ 7 are written around a circle in some order. For each pair of neighbours, find the distance between them on the number line. Then add up the six distances. What is the smallest possible total?