Graphing Overview

Absolute Value Functions

Absolute value is defined as a number’s distance from zero. Since distance is always positive or zero, absolute value functions will always produce positive or zero outputs.

Absolute value functions have equations in the form: . The graph has reflectional symmetry across a vertical line through the vertex. Absolute value functions can be piece-wise defined as two linear functions with different domains.

See the table and graph of a basic absolute value function below.

Here are some situations that can be modeled by absolute value functions:

• Distances in real life (time vs. distance).
• Exchanging currency (old currency vs. new).