The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line. The absolute value of a number is always positive, regardless of whether the original number was positive or negative. An absolute value calculator is a tool that calculates the absolute value of a number.
Concepts
The concept of absolute value is fundamental to mathematics and has many applications in real life. It is used to represent the magnitude of a quantity without regard to its sign. For example, if you are driving at 60 miles per hour, your speed is 60 mph, regardless of whether you are driving north or south. The absolute value of a number is also used to represent the distance between two points on a number line.
Formulae
The formula for calculating the absolute value of a number is:
|x| = x if x >= 0 |x| = -x if x < 0
Benefits
An absolute value calculator can be used to solve many different types of problems in mathematics and science. For example, it can be used to calculate the distance between two points on a coordinate plane, or to find the magnitude of a vector in physics. It can also be used to solve equations involving absolute values.
Interesting Facts
- The concept of absolute value was first introduced by Jean-Robert Argand in 1806.
- The notation for absolute value, |x|, was introduced by Karl Weierstrass in 1841.
- The absolute value function is continuous everywhere.
Here are some scholarly references that provide more information about the concept of absolute value:
- Weisstein, Eric W. “Absolute Value.” From MathWorld–A Wolfram Web Resource.
Last Updated : 25 November, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
