? ABS() Function in SQL

The ABS() function in SQL returns the absolute (positive) value of a number — it removes any negative sign.

? Syntax

SELECT ABS(number);

? Example Usage

1. Basic Example

SELECT ABS(-100) AS result;-- Output: 100

2. With a Table

Assume a table transactions:

Query:

SELECT id, ABS(amount) AS abs_amountFROM transactions;

Result:

? Use Cases

• Financial calculations (e.g., profit/loss)

• Distance measurements (difference between values)

• Normalization of values

? Supported In

• ? MySQL

• ? PostgreSQL

• ? SQL Server

• ? Oracle

• ? SQLite

? Tip

ABS() works on both integer and decimal types.

SELECT ABS(-5.75); -- Output: 5.75

Let me know if you want practical problems or query examples using ABS() with joins or conditions!