Find Absolute Value

Compute the absolute value of a number without using the built-in abs() directly.

PythonBeginner

What You'll Learn

  • Understanding absolute value conceptually
  • Using simple conditionals to implement math rules
  • Working with negative and positive numbers
Python
# Program to find the absolute value of a number

num = float(input("Enter a number: "))

if num < 0:
    abs_value = -num
else:
    abs_value = num

print("Absolute value of", num, "is", abs_value)

Output

Enter a number: -7
Absolute value of -7.0 is 7.0

The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line.

  • If num < 0 → abs(num) = -num
  • Else → abs(num) = num

This shows how to reimplement a built-in idea using basic conditionals.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

  1. 1Read a number from the user.
  2. 2Check if it is negative.
  3. 3If negative, multiply by -1 to make it positive.
  4. 4Otherwise, keep it as is.
  5. 5Print the result.