What is the Difference Between Absolute and Relative?

The difference between absolute and relative lies in the way they describe changes or differences between two values. Here are the key distinctions between the two:

• Absolute: Absolute refers to the actual difference or change between two values. It is expressed as a real number and represents the exact amount of change that has occurred. For example, if a population increases from 10,000 to 12,000, the absolute difference is 2,000.
• Relative: Relative describes the size of the absolute difference as a fraction or percentage of a reference value. It allows us to understand the comparative ratio of two numbers, often expressed as a percentage. For example, if a population increases from 10,000 to 12,000, the relative difference would be (12,000 - 10,000) / 10,000 = 0.2 or 20%.

In summary:

• Absolute difference or change represents the actual real-number difference between two values.
• Relative difference or change describes the size of the absolute difference as a fraction or percentage of a reference value.
• Both absolute and relative changes can be useful in different contexts, depending on the specific situation and what best represents the intended comparison.

Comparative Table: Absolute vs Relative

The main difference between absolute and relative cell references in Excel lies in how they behave when copied or moved to another cell. Here's a table summarizing the differences:

In Excel, absolute references are designated by adding a dollar sign ($) before the column and/or row reference, such as $A$2. Relative references do not have a dollar sign and change when a formula is copied to another cell. When writing a formula in Excel, you can press the F4 key on your keyboard to switch between relative, absolute, and mixed cell references.