What does the absolute value of a number signify?

The absolute value of a number reflects its distance from zero on the number line, regardless of direction. This means that negative numbers, when converted to their absolute value, become positive, effectively representing how far they are from zero. For example, both -5 and +5 have an absolute value of 5 because they are both five units away from zero. The concept of absolute value is essential in mathematics, particularly in understanding distances and magnitudes without regard to negative or positive signs. This is why the absolute value is particularly useful in various applications, such as physics or real-world scenarios where only the magnitude of a quantity matters, not its direction.