What does absolute value represent?

Absolute value represents the distance a number is from zero on the number line, regardless of its sign. This means that both positive and negative numbers will have the same absolute value because it considers only the magnitude of the number. For example, the absolute value of both -5 and 5 is 5. This concept is fundamental in mathematics as it allows us to compare the sizes of numbers without worrying about their direction or negativity.

The other options do not accurately describe absolute value. The negative value of a number refers to the number being less than zero, which does not relate to the concept of absolute value. The maximum value in a set of numbers focuses on identifying the highest number, not measuring distance from zero. Lastly, the sum of all values in a range relates to addition and aggregation, which is unrelated to the individual measurement of distance that absolute value represents.