# Absolute Value of a Number

Sometimes, it is useful to restrict our attention over non-negative real numbers only. For this purpose, we define numerical or non-negative value of a real number which we call an absolute value or modulus of the real number.

Absolute Value: The absolute value of a real number, $a$ denoted by$\left| a \right|$, is the real number $a,{\text{ }} - a,{\text{ or }}0$ according as a positive, negative, or zero. i.e.

From the definition of absolute value of a real number, we have

Example:
(1)   $\left| a \right| = {\text{max}}\left\{ {a, - a} \right\}$,
(2)   $- \left| a \right| = {\text{min}}\left\{ {a, - a} \right\}$,
(3)   $\left| a \right| \geqslant a \geqslant - \left| a \right|$.

Example:
(1) $\left| {ab} \right| = \left| a \right| \cdot \left| b \right|$,
(2) $\left| {\frac{a}{b}} \right| = \frac{{\left| a \right|}}{{\left| b \right|}},{\text{ }}\left( {b \ne 0} \right)$.

Example:
(1) $\left| a \right| + \left| b \right| \geqslant \left| {a + b} \right|$,
(2) $\left| {a - b} \right| \geqslant \left| {\left| a \right| - \left| b \right|} \right|$.

Example:
If $\varepsilon > 0$, then $\left| {a - b} \right| < \varepsilon \Leftrightarrow b - \varepsilon < a < b + \varepsilon$.

Solution: We have
$\left| {a - b} \right| = {\text{max}}\left\{ {\left( {a, - b} \right), - \left( {a, - b} \right)} \right\} < \varepsilon$
$\Leftrightarrow \left( {a - b} \right) < \varepsilon \wedge - \left( {a - b} \right) < \varepsilon$
$\Leftrightarrow a < b + \varepsilon \wedge \left( { - a + b} \right) < \varepsilon$
$\Leftrightarrow a < b + \varepsilon \wedge \left( {b - \varepsilon } \right) < a$
$\Leftrightarrow b - \varepsilon < a < b + \varepsilon$

Example:
For all real number, $x$ and $y$,

Solution:

Here, for all real numbers $x$ and $y$, we have