Math class

Learn math operations with Math.abs and Math.max.

What is the Math class?

The Math class holds the mathematical methods from the Java standard library. All methods are static, so you call them as Math.methodName without creating an object.

Common methods:

Math.abs(x): absolute value
Math.max(a, b): maximum
Math.min(a, b): minimum
Math.pow(base, exp): power
Math.sqrt(x): square root

Constants: Math.PI, Math.E.

Exercise Use Math.abs and Math.max

Write a Main class with a main method. Assign -5 to int a and 9 to int b. Print Math.abs(a) and Math.max(a, b) with println.

Show example solution

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int a = -5;
        int b = 9;
        System.out.println(Math.abs(a));
        System.out.println(Math.max(a, b));
    }
}

Math constants

The Math class has two useful constants: Math.PI (π ≈ 3.14159) and Math.E (e ≈ 2.71828).

double radius = 5.0;
double circumference = 2 * Math.PI * radius;
// ≈ 31.4159

These constants are static final: class-level and immutable. Writing Math.PI = 3.0; gives a compile error.

Using these constants in your own math is safer than typing the value by hand.

Test yourself

What does Math.max(3, 7) return?
- 7
- 10
- 21
- 3
Show answer

7 — Math.max returns the larger of two values.
Match the Math methods

Math.abs

Absolute
Math.max

Maximum
Math.min

Minimum
Math.pow

Power

Complete the Math method call

int big = Math.____(5, 3);

Show answer

int big = Math.max(5, 3);

Next lesson: BigInteger and BigDecimal

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