Real Python: How to Find an Absolute Value in Python

The absolute value function determines the size or magnitude of an object, such as a number or a vector, regardless of its direction. The absolute value of a real number can be defined as a piecewise function, which returns values greater than or equal to zero without alteration, and values smaller than zero have their sign flipped. Algebraically, the absolute value is equivalent to taking the square root of a number squared. Geometrically, the absolute value can be thought of as the distance from the origin on a number line. Vectors convey information about direction and magnitude of a physical quantity in more than one dimension. The length of a vector, also known as its magnitude, is the distance between its initial and terminal points, which can be calculated using the Euclidean norm. Python's built-in abs() function efficiently handles integers, floating-point numbers, complex numbers, and more. NumPy and pandas extend the abs() function to work directly with arrays and Series. You can customize the behavior of abs() by implementing the .__abs__() method. The abs() function can process fractions and decimals from Python's standard library.