PHP abs() Function

The abs() function is a built-in PHP function that returns the absolute value of a number. The absolute value is always positive, regardless of whether the input is positive or negative.

Syntax

abs(mixed $number)

Parameters

Return Value

Returns the absolute value of the number. If the parameter is a float, the return type is float. For integer parameters, the return type is integer.

Examples

Basic Usage with Numbers

<?php
    echo abs(-15) . "<br>";     // Integer
    echo abs(15) . "<br>";      // Positive integer
    echo abs(-3.14) . "<br>";   // Float
    echo abs(0) . "<br>";       // Zero
?>

15
15
3.14
0

With Numeric Strings

<?php
    echo abs("-25") . "<br>";
    echo abs("42.5") . "<br>";
?>

25
42.5

With Non-Numeric Strings

<?php
    echo abs("Hello") . "<br>";
    echo abs("") . "<br>";
?>

0
0

Conclusion

The abs() function is useful for mathematical calculations where you need the distance from zero. It handles integers, floats, and numeric strings, returning 0 for non-numeric values.