Understand the subject
What is absolute value?
Absolute value measures a number's distance from zero, so it never reports a negative distance.
Use it when direction is irrelevant but size matters: an error, a gap, a temperature difference, or distance on a number line.
The key rule
What stays true
|x| = x when x≥0; |x| = −x when x<0
See the idea
Visual explanation
−12.375012.375 units
Example
Apply it
|−12.375| = 12.375
Absolute value removes direction. It is not the same as changing a value's sign in every context.
Quick guide
How to use this calculator
- Enter a positive or negative finite decimal.
- Read the exact non-negative distance from zero.
- Use copy or reset when useful.
Calculation method
Distance ignores direction
Absolute value keeps a non-negative number unchanged and removes the sign from a negative number. Entered decimal places are preserved.
Worked example
Absolute value of −12.375
The point −12.375 is 12.375 units from zero.
|−12.375| = 12.375
Supported inputs
Precision and limits
Exact decimal input
Finite decimals use integer-scaled arithmetic, with no binary floating-point conversion.
Input boundary
Unless stated otherwise, use at most 200 digits total and 100 digits after the decimal marker.
