Absolute value refers to the actual value or magnitude of a particular number regardless of its sign.  A number’s absolute value will always be a positive number as it represents the actual value of a given number.  A number that is given a negative sign for example will have a positive absolute value.  In the case of “-8” for example, its absolute value is 8.  For “+8”, its absolute value is also 8.

A number’s absolute value may also be expressed as the actual value or distance from the starting point or zero “0”.  The absolute value for “+3” and “-3” for example are the same and it is “3”.  The absolute value of 3 represents the distance from zero for both “+3” and “-3”.  Regardless of their signs, both numbers have the same absolute values or the same distance from the zero number.  In mathematical expressions, vertical lines at both sides of the number given indicate its absolute value.

Aside from its mathematical use, the concept of absolute value may also be applied to real-world settings and computations using numbers.  Using budgeting and spending habits for example, the absolute value of money may be determined and computed.  In this particular case, the actual value of money is considered its absolute value.  Whether the money is saved or spent on something, its absolute value remains.  With a weekly budget of 500 dollars for example, a person may have spent 100 dollars on food and transportation for 1 day.  In mathematical terms, 500 dollars is represented with “+500” and the 100 dollars spent will be represented with “-100”.  In this example, +500 and -100 combined will yield an absolute value of 400.  In the real-world setup, people would not think of the 100 dollars that is already spent as “-100” unless used in computations.  The actual value or absolute value of what is spent will remain “100”.