terraform/website/docs/language/functions/abs.html.md

---
layout: "language"
page_title: "abs - Functions - Configuration Language"
sidebar_current: "docs-funcs-numeric-abs"
description: |-
  The abs function returns the absolute value of the given number.
---

# `abs` Function

`abs` returns the absolute value of the given number. In other words, if the
number is zero or positive then it is returned as-is, but if it is negative
then it is multiplied by -1 to make it positive before returning it.

## Examples

```
> abs(23)
23
> abs(0)
0
> abs(-12.4)
12.4
```
website: Beginnings of "Functions" configuration section Previously we just listed out all of the functions in alphabetical order inside the "Interpolation Syntax" page, but that format doesn't leave much room for details and usage examples. Now we give each function its own page, and categorize them for easier navigation. While many functions are very simple and don't really warrant a full page, certain functions do have additional details that are worth mentioning and this structure scales better for those more complicated functions. So far this includes only the numeric and string functions. Other categories will follow in subsequent commits. 2018-05-07 03:32:16 +02:00			`---`
Revert "migrate docs to mdx" This reverts commit 3cb12b5a52c52918391bf506df7bb5d8a9020f43. 2021-11-23 00:57:25 +01:00			`layout: "language"`
			`page_title: "abs - Functions - Configuration Language"`
			`sidebar_current: "docs-funcs-numeric-abs"`
			`description: \|-`
			`The abs function returns the absolute value of the given number.`
website: Beginnings of "Functions" configuration section Previously we just listed out all of the functions in alphabetical order inside the "Interpolation Syntax" page, but that format doesn't leave much room for details and usage examples. Now we give each function its own page, and categorize them for easier navigation. While many functions are very simple and don't really warrant a full page, certain functions do have additional details that are worth mentioning and this structure scales better for those more complicated functions. So far this includes only the numeric and string functions. Other categories will follow in subsequent commits. 2018-05-07 03:32:16 +02:00			`---`

			# `abs` Function

			`abs` returns the absolute value of the given number. In other words, if the
			`number is zero or positive then it is returned as-is, but if it is negative`
			`then it is multiplied by -1 to make it positive before returning it.`

			`## Examples`

			```
			`> abs(23)`
			`23`
			`> abs(0)`
			`0`
			`> abs(-12.4)`
			`12.4`
			```