as an absolute value

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as an absolute value" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in mathematical contexts to refer to the non-negative value of a number regardless of its sign. Example: "The distance between the two points can be calculated as an absolute value to ensure it is always positive."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The threshold may be expressed as a percentage of maximum or as an absolute value.

Harvard University

When add_plusminus=yes the tool treats the order as an absolute value.

Harvard University

Socialists take a similar path, embracing equality as an absolute value.

The Washington Post

I have never heard so many people so passionately committed to free speech as an absolute value.

The New York Times

Larry Siedentop also invokes Kant's idea of a just community and suggests it derives from the Christian respect for the individual as an absolute value.

The New York Times - Magazine

As an absolute value, this figure should be used with caution as there remain considerable uncertainties due to some of the estimates and assumptions that we have had to make.

The Guardian

3 Because of the negative relationship, throughout the paper we will refer to the coefficient as an absolute value.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

They were expressed either as an absolute value or [21] like a loss of angle [19, 20].

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

Subsequently, the measured activities were analyzed with Bland-Altman, again expressed as an absolute value: E m,0 = │(A r − A m,0)/A r │, to investigate whether calibration improved the measured activities.

EJNMMI Research

However, an indication of the threshold pore diameter, ideally not as an absolute value, but as a parameter to facilitate comparison between specimens, can be obtained from the differential pore volume-pore diameter relationships (Atahan et al. 2009).

International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials

For presentation purposes, axes are on a log-log scale, and the relative errors are calculated as an absolute value: E r = │(A r − A m)/A r │and E r = │(A r − A cal)/A r │.

EJNMMI Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When presenting statistical data, clarify if you're using absolute values to prevent misinterpretations related to direction or sign. For example, instead of stating "change was 5", specify "change was 5 as an absolute value" to denote magnitude regardless of increase or decrease.

Common error

Avoid using "as an absolute value" when you intend to express a percentage change or a value relative to a baseline. "As an absolute value" refers to the magnitude of a number irrespective of its sign; it does not convey proportional change.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as an absolute value" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifying how a particular value or quantity is being considered or expressed. It clarifies that the magnitude of the value is the primary focus, regardless of its sign. Ludwig AI confirms that it's correct in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "as an absolute value" serves to emphasize the magnitude of a number without regard to its sign. Ludwig AI validates its correctness in written English. Its usage is particularly prevalent in scientific, academic, and news contexts to ensure clarity and precision when presenting numerical data. When incorporating the phrase in writing, it's crucial to prevent confusion with related concepts like relative change or percentage increase/decrease. Remember to employ it when the magnitude alone is relevant, irrespective of direction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in terms of magnitude

Focuses on the size or extent of something, similar to disregarding the sign in "as an absolute value".

regarding its magnitude

Emphasizes considering only the size or extent, comparable to ignoring direction or sign.

considering its numerical size

Highlights the numerical aspect without regard to positive or negative.

taking the magnitude into account

Similar to considering numerical size, this emphasizes the non-directional quantity.

treating it as a non-negative quantity

Explicitly specifies the non-negative nature, mirroring the effect of absolute value.

using its unsigned representation

Focuses on the representation of a number without a sign.

without considering the sign

Directly indicates the omission of the sign, much like absolute value.

its non-directional component

Highlights that only the magnitude is relevant, ignoring the direction.

the numerical amount itself

Emphasizes the pure numerical quantity without any qualifiers.

its scalar equivalent

Refers to the scalar (magnitude) component of a vector or quantity.

FAQs

How do you use "as an absolute value" in a sentence?

Use "as an absolute value" to specify that you're interested in the magnitude of a number, regardless of its sign. For example, "The difference between the two measurements, expressed "as an absolute value", was 3 units".

What does "as an absolute value" mean in statistics?

In statistics, "as an absolute value" indicates that a value is being considered without regard to its sign. It's used to express the magnitude of a difference or change, irrespective of whether it's positive or negative.

When should I use "as an absolute value" instead of just stating the number?

Use "as an absolute value" for clarity when the sign of the number might be misleading or irrelevant to the context. For example, in measuring error, you might say "the error "as an absolute value" was 2%", because the direction of the error isn't important.

Are there alternatives to saying "as an absolute value"?

Yes, depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "in terms of magnitude", "regarding its magnitude", or "treating it as a non-negative quantity". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.