Absolute (in mathematics)

In mathematics, the "absolute" of a number, called the absolute value, represents its distance from zero on the number line, regardless of direction. It is always non-negative. For example, the absolute value of both 5 and -5 is 5, because both are five units away from zero. The absolute value is denoted by two lines, like |x|, where x is the number. It helps compare distances without regard to sign, and is useful in calculations involving magnitude, differences, and measurements.