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Definition

Absolute Value

The absolute value of a number represents its geometric distance from 00 on the number line. The absolute value of a number nn is mathematically denoted using vertical bars as n|n|. Because distance cannot be negative, the absolute value of any number is always greater than or equal to zero (n0|n| \ge 0). For example, both 55 and 5-5 are positioned exactly five units away from zero, meaning their absolute values are identical: 5=5|5| = 5 and 5=5|-5| = 5. This illustrates that a number and its opposite share the exact same absolute value.

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Updated 2026-05-03

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