
<A NAME=ABS>

<TITLE>ABS</TITLE></A>
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<B>ABS</B> _ _ _  _ _ _  _ _ _  _ _ _ <B>operator</B><P>
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The <em>abs</em> operator returns the absolute value of its argument. 
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syntax: </H3>
<em>abs</em>(&lt;expression&gt;) 
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&lt;expression&gt; can be any REDUCE scalar expression. 
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examples: </H3>
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abs(-a); 

  ABS(A) 


abs(-5); 

  5 


a := -10; 

  A := -10 


abs(a); 

  10 


abs(-a); 

  10

</TT></PRE><P>If the argument has had no numeric value assigned to it, such as a
n 
identifier or polynomial, <em>abs</em> returns an expression involving 
<em>abs</em> of its argument, doing as much simplification of the argument 
as it can, such as dropping any preceding minus sign. 
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