a pet store has a ratio of 5 birds for every 4 hamsters which combination of birds and hamsters could the pet store have

I want to make sure you understand that absolute value is the distance from zero. It isn't a value; it is a distance.

For example,

6 and -6 both are 6 units from zero. They are opposites on the number line.

8 and -8 are both 8 units from zero. They are opposites on the number line.

But, if you have a negative sign outside the absolute value signs, like so:

-|6| The distance would be 6. But then, since it's outside the signs, it would be -6.

So, yes, wit the signs by itself the absolute value (or distance from zero) is always non-negative.

I hope this helps!
~kaikers