Abs Function

Function

Abs returns the absolute value of a real or complex number. The absolute value of a real or complex number is its distance to zero. This absolute value is always a positive real number.

The argument can be a single number or a data field. For data fields, the absolute value of each element is calculated and the results returned in a data field of equal size.

Syntax

• Abs (real | complex)
• Abs (list)
• Abs (table)

Example with a real number

Abs (-4.56) = 4.56

Abs (4.56) = 4.56

Example with a list of real numbers

x = Rnd (New (12,30)) -15 = -10 -9 2 3 -3 12 13 -2 1 -14 -11 7

Abs (x) = 10 9 2 3 3 12 13 2 1 14 11 7

Example with a complex number

Abs (2 - 5i) = 5.39

Absolute value of a real number

The absolute value of a real number is obtained by omitting the sign. The absolute value of a real number is the distance from the zero point on the number line.

Absolute value of a complex number

The absolute value of a complex number corresponds to the length of the vector.

The absolute value of a complex numbe z = a + bi is 

Visual representation of a complex number and the absolute value z.

For more information about the absolte value see Abs and Tutorial