absolute value meaning

• Noun: absolute value  'absu`loot 'valyoo
  1. A real number regardless of its sign
     - numerical value

  Derived forms: absolute values

  Type of: definite quantity

  Encyclopedia: Absolute value

• 
  [Economics]
  See modulus
• 
  [Electronics]
  The magnitude of a quantity without regard to sign or direction. The absolute value of a is written |a |. The absolute value of a positive number is the number itself; thus, |10| equals 10. The absolute value of a negative number is the number with its sign changed: |-10| equals 10.
  

• absolute-value circuit:    [Electronics]A cir ...
• absolute-value computer:    [Electronics]A com ...
• absolute-value device:    [Electronics]In co ...

Examples

1. the bars denote the absolute value.
2. the absolute values of the coefficients of any chromatic polynomial form a unimodal sequence.
3. class to compute the absolute value of a number
4. returns the absolute value of an 8-bit signed integer
5. returns the absolute value of a 32-bit signed integer