Absolute Value Calculator
Find the absolute value (magnitude) of any real number and its distance from zero.
About Absolute Value Calculator
The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line, regardless of direction. For any real number x, |x| = x if x ≥ 0, and |x| = −x if x < 0.
Formula
Absolute Value
|x| = x if x ≥ 0; |x| = −x if x < 0
- x
- Any real number
Worked example
With the default values below, Absolute Value Calculator returns Absolute Value of 42.700000. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Number
- -42.7
Results
- Absolute Value
- 42.700000
- Original Number
- -42.700000
- Was Negative?
- Yes
Step by step
- 1Identify the number= -42.7
- 2Number is negative — remove the sign= 42.7
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the single input listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 6 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is absolute value always positive?
It is always non-negative. |0| = 0, and for any non-zero number x, |x| > 0.
What is the absolute value used for?
It measures magnitude or distance. Common uses include error measurement (|measured − actual|), distance between points, and defining intervals on the number line.