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Computes the absolute value of a given numeric value. The value can be a Decimal or Integer literal or a reference to a column containing numeric values.
Wrangle vs. SQL: This function is part of Wrangle, a proprietary data transformation language. Wrangle is not SQL. For more information, see Wrangle Language.
Basic Usage
Column reference example:
<span>abs(MyInteger)</span>
Output: Returns the absolute value of each value found in the MyInteger column.
Numeric literal example:
<span>(</span><span>abs(</span><span>MyInteger</span><span>) </span><span>== 5)</span>
Output: Returns true if the absolute value of the entry in the MyInteger column is 5.
Syntax and Arguments
<span>abs(numeric_value)</span>
| Argument | Required? | Data Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| numeric_value | Y | string, decimal, or integer | Name of column or Decimal or Integer literal to apply to the function |
For more information on syntax standards, see Language Documentation Syntax Notes.
numeric_value
Name of the column or numeric literal whose absolute value is to be computed.
- Missing input values generate missing results.
- Literal numeric values should not be quoted. Quoted values are treated as strings.
- Multiple columns and wildcards are not supported.
Usage Notes:
| Required? | Data Type | Example Value |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | String (column reference) or Integer or Decimal value | -10.5 |
Tip: For additional examples, see Common Tasks.
Examples
Example - Basic ABS function
Source:
Your source data looks like the following, which measures coordinate distances from a fixed point on a grid:
| X | Y |
|---|---|
| -2 | 4 |
| -6.2 | -2 |
| 0 | -4.2 |
| 4 | 4 |
| 15 | -0.05 |
Transform:
You can use the following transform to derive the absolute values of these columns, which now measure distance from the fixed point:
| Transformation Name | New formula |
|---|---|
| Parameter: Formula type | Single row formula |
| Parameter: Formula | abs(X) |
| Parameter: New column name | 'distanceX' |
| Transformation Name | New formula |
|---|---|
| Parameter: Formula type | Single row formula |
| Parameter: Formula | abs(y) |
| Parameter: New column name | 'distanceY' |
Results:
| X | Y | distanceX | distanceY |
|---|---|---|---|
| -2 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| -6.2 | -2 | 6.2 | 2 |
| 0 | -4.2 | 0 | 4.2 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 15 | -0.05 | 15 | 0.05 |
You can then use POW and SQRT functions to compute the total distance.
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