Positive Number to Negative Number in JavaScript?

Question

Basically, the reverse of abs. If I have:

if ($this.find('.pdxslide-activeSlide').index() < slideNum - 1) {
  slideNum = -slideNum
}
console.log(slideNum)

No matter what console always returns a positive number. How do I fix this?

If I do:

if ($this.find('.pdxslide-activeSlide').index() < slideNum - 1) {
  _selector.animate({
    left: (-slideNum * sizes.images.width) + 'px'
  }, 750, 'InOutPDX')
} else {
  _selector.animate({
    left: (slideNum * sizes.images.width) + 'px'
  }, 750, 'InOutPDX')
}

it works tho, but it's not "DRY" and just stupid to have an entire block of code JUST for a - .

Answer 1

Math.abs(num) => Always positive
-Math.abs(num) => Always negative

You do realize however, that for your code

if($this.find('.pdxslide-activeSlide').index() < slideNum-1){ slideNum = -slideNum }
console.log(slideNum)

If the index found is 3 and slideNum is 3,
then 3 < 3-1 => false
so slideNum remains positive ??

It looks more like a logic error to me.

Answer 2

The reverse of abs is Math.abs(num) * -1 .

Answer 3

The basic formula to reverse positive to negative or negative to positive:

i - (i * 2)

Answer 4

Javascript has a dedicated operator for this: unary negation .

TL;DR: It's the minus sign!

To negate a number, simply prefix it with - in the most intuitive possible way. No need to write a function, use Math.abs() multiply by -1 or use the bitwise operator.

Unary negation works on number literals:

let a = 10;  // a is `10`
let b = -10; // b is `-10`

It works with variables too:

let x = 50;
x = -x;      // x is now `-50`

let y = -6;
y = -y;      // y is now `6`

You can even use it multiple times if you use the grouping operator (aka parentheses:

l = 10;       // l is `10`
m = -10;      // m is `-10`
n = -(10);    // n is `-10`
o = -(-(10)); // o is `10`
p = -(-10);   // p is `10` (double negative makes a positive)

All of the above works with a variable as well.

Answer 5

To get a negative version of a number in JavaScript you can always use the ~ bitwise operator.

For example, if you have a = 1000 and you need to convert it to a negative, you could do the following:

a = ~a + 1;

Which would result in a being -1000 .

Answer 6

var x = 100;
var negX = ( -x ); // => -100

Answer 7

num * -1

This would do it for you.

Answer 8

Are you sure that control is going into the body of the if ? As in does the condition in the if ever hold true? Because if it doesn't, the body of the if will never get executed and slideNum will remain positive. I'm going to hazard a guess that this is probably what you're seeing.

If I try the following in Firebug, it seems to work:

>>> i = 5; console.log(i); i = -i; console.log(i);
5
-5

slideNum *= -1 should also work. As should Math.abs(slideNum) * -1 .

Answer 9

If you don't feel like using Math.Abs * -1 you can you this simple if statement:P

if (x > 0) {
    x = -x;
}

Of course you could make this a function like this

function makeNegative(number) {
    if (number > 0) {
        number = -number;
    }
}

makeNegative(-3) => -3 makeNegative(5) => -5

Hope this helps. Math.abs will likely work for you but if it doesn't this little

Answer 10

var i = 10;
i = i / -1;

Result: -10

var i = -10;
i = i / -1;

Result: 10

If you divide by negative 1, it will always flip your number either way.

Answer 11

Use 0 - x

x being the number you want to invert

Answer 12

It will convert negative array to positive or vice versa

function negateOrPositive(arr) {
    arr.map(res => -res)
};

Answer 13

In vanilla javascript

 if(number > 0) return -1*number;

Where number above is the positive number you intend to convert

This code will convert just positive numbers to negative numbers simple by multiplying by -1

Answer 14

I think the best answer is by Diego ZoracKy, Why not a = -a ? . Yes why not 🤣😂