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Mathematics vocabulary · Numbers and Operations

Absolute value

Meaning in mathematics, with examples

nounCommon term

In mathematics, absolute value means: The distance of a number from zero on the number line, which is never negative; the absolute value of both −7 and 7 is 7.

In Turkish: mutlak değer

How it is used

Written with vertical bars, |x|, and read 'the absolute value of x'; British textbooks also call it the 'modulus' ('mod x'). Equations and inequalities with absolute values are usually solved by splitting them into two cases.

Example sentences

  1. Solve the absolute value equation |x − 3| = 5 by looking at two cases.

  2. The absolute value of the difference gives the distance between two numbers.

Common collocations

  • absolute value of x
  • absolute value equation
  • absolute value bars
  • absolute value inequality
  • negative numberA number less than zero, written with a minus sign in front of it, such as −4 or −0.5.
  • inequalityA statement that compares two values using <, >, ≤ or ≥, such as 2x + 1 > 7, showing that one side is larger or smaller than the other.
  • integerA whole number that can be positive, negative or zero, such as −3, 0 or 25, with no fractional or decimal part.
  • differenceThe result of subtracting one number from another; for example, the difference between 10 and 4 is 6.

More terms: Numbers and Operations

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