Absolute Difference Calculator
Find the non-negative distance between two numbers. This tool calculates the absolute value of the difference between your inputs.
Formula:
|x - y|
(Where | | denotes absolute value)
If x = 10 and y = 3: |10 - 3| = 7 If x = -5 and y = 5: |-5 - 5| = |-10| = 10 If x = 2.5 and y = 7.8: |2.5 - 7.8| = |-5.3| = 5.3
What is absolute difference?
Absolute difference is the magnitude of the difference between two real numbers. It represents the distance between two values on a number line, which is always non-negative.
How do I calculate absolute difference?
To calculate the absolute difference between two numbers x and y, you subtract one from the other (x - y) and then take the absolute value of the result, written as |x - y|.
Why is absolute difference always positive?
Because it represents distance. In mathematics, distance between two points cannot be negative, regardless of which point you start from.
Is |x - y| the same as |y - x|?
Yes, the order of the numbers does not matter in absolute difference. |10 - 3| is 7, and |3 - 10| is |-7|, which is also 7.
🔗 Related Calculators
📐 Formula
Formula:
|x - y|
(Where | | denotes absolute value)
📝 Example Calculation
If x = 10 and y = 3: |10 - 3| = 7 If x = -5 and y = 5: |-5 - 5| = |-10| = 10 If x = 2.5 and y = 7.8: |2.5 - 7.8| = |-5.3| = 5.3
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is absolute difference?▼
Absolute difference is the magnitude of the difference between two real numbers. It represents the distance between two values on a number line, which is always non-negative.
How do I calculate absolute difference?▼
To calculate the absolute difference between two numbers x and y, you subtract one from the other (x - y) and then take the absolute value of the result, written as |x - y|.
Why is absolute difference always positive?▼
Because it represents distance. In mathematics, distance between two points cannot be negative, regardless of which point you start from.
Is |x - y| the same as |y - x|?▼
Yes, the order of the numbers does not matter in absolute difference. |10 - 3| is 7, and |3 - 10| is |-7|, which is also 7.