PLSQL | ABS Function

The PLSQL ABS function is used for returning the absolute value of a number. Absolute value is used for depicting the distance of a number on the number line from 0. The direction of the number from zero is not considered since the absolute value of a number is never negative.

The ABS in PLSQL function takes as an argument any numeric data type or any non-numeric data type that can be implicitly converted to a numeric data type. The value returned by the PLSQL ABS function is of the same data type as the numeric data type of the argument.

Syntax:

ABS( number )

Parameters Used:

number – It is used to specify the number whose absolute value you want to know.

Return Value:
The ABS function in PLSQL returns a numeric value.

Supported Versions of Oracle/PLSQL:

1. Oracle 12c
2. Oracle 11g
3. Oracle 10g
4. Oracle 9i
5. Oracle 8i

Example-1: Using a positive numeric value as an argument in the ABS function.

DECLARE 
   Test_Number int := 20;
   
BEGIN 
   dbms_output.put_line(ABS(Test_Number)); 
   
END; 

Output:

20 

Example-2: Using a negative numeric value as an argument in the ABS function.

DECLARE 
   Test_Number int := -12;
   
BEGIN 
   dbms_output.put_line(ABS(Test_Number)); 
   
END; 

Output:

12 

Example-3: Using a negative numeric value with decimal as an argument in the ABS function.

DECLARE 
   Test_Number decimal(7, 2) := -12.23;
   
BEGIN 
   dbms_output.put_line(ABS(Test_Number)); 
   
END;  

Output:

12.23 

Example-4: Using an expression as an argument in the ABS function.

DECLARE 
   Test_Number decimal(11, 2) := (-20.45 * 2);
   
BEGIN 
   dbms_output.put_line(ABS(Test_Number)); 
   
END;   

Output:

40.9 

Example-5: Using ABS function with select query.

SELECT ABS(-20.45 * 1) FROM dual; 

Output:

20.45 

Advantages:
The ABS function accepts any numeric datatype as well as any non-numeric datatype as an argument that can be implicitly converted to a numeric datatype.