The absolute value calculator is an online web based tool to find the absolute value of any number, whether it’s a positive or negative whole number, decimal, or even zero.

The absolute value of a number represents its distance from zero on a number line, without considering whether the number is positive or negative.

What is Absolute Value?

The absolute value of a number can be thought of as the magnitude or distance of that number from zero. It doesn’t matter if the number is negative or positive, the absolute value only cares about the size. The absolute value is symbolized by two vertical bars:

| x |

For positive numbers, the absolute value is the number itself, and for negative numbers, the absolute value is the positive equivalent of the number.

Example 1:
The absolute value of 5 is 5, written as | 5 | = 5.

Example 2:
The absolute value of -5 is 5, written as | -5 | = 5.

Notice that regardless of whether the number is positive or negative, the absolute value always results in a non-negative number. The only exception is 0, where | 0 | = 0.

Absolute Value in Programming

In programming, the absolute value function is often used to calculate the distance from zero. It ensures that the result is always positive. For example, the absolute value of | x – 3 | gives the distance between x and 3 on a number line, and the result is always positive.

Example Absolute Values:

• The absolute value of 9 is 9, written | 9 | = 9.
• The absolute value of -9 is 9, written | -9 | = 9.
• The absolute value of 0 is 0, written | 0 | = 0.

This simple yet powerful concept is widely used in fields like mathematics, programming, physics, and statistics, helping us measure the magnitude of values without worrying about their direction.