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Absolute value

Gives the nonnegative magnitude of a real number, equal to the number itself when it is nonnegative and to its negative otherwise. It is used whenever only the size of a number matters, not its sign.

|x| = \begin{cases} x & x \geq 0 \\ -x & x < 0 \end{cases}

What the symbols mean

a real number
the absolute value of x, always nonnegative

About this formula

  • FieldMathematics
  • TopicReal numbers and functions
  • LevelHigh school
  • Also calledabsolute value function, absolute value of a real number, modulus, abs, piecewise absolute value, magnitude of a real number
  • SourceWikidata Q120812

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