Abs Function In C++ Header File

2 min read Jun 28, 2024
Abs Function In C++ Header File

The abs() Function in C++ Header File

The abs() function in C++ is used to calculate the absolute value of an integer. It is defined in the <cstdlib> header file.

Definition and Usage

The syntax of the abs() function is as follows:

int abs(int n);

The function takes a single integer argument n and returns the absolute value of n. The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero, regardless of its sign.

Here's a breakdown of how the function works:

  • If n is a positive number, the function returns n.
  • If n is a negative number, the function returns -n.
  • If n is zero, the function returns zero.

Example

Here's an example of how to use the abs() function:

#include 
#include 

int main() {
  int number = -5;
  int absoluteValue = abs(number);

  std::cout << "The absolute value of " << number << " is: " << absoluteValue << std::endl;

  return 0;
}

This program will print the following output:

The absolute value of -5 is: 5

Note

The abs() function works only for integer values. If you need to calculate the absolute value of a floating-point number, you can use the fabs() function, which is also defined in the <cstdlib> header file.

Conclusion

The abs() function is a simple and useful function for calculating absolute values in C++. It is a part of the standard library and can be easily used in your programs.