Define absolute $ change.

The absolute dollar change refers to the straightforward measurement of the total dollar amount gained or lost over a specific period of time. This metric is important in financial analysis as it provides a direct understanding of the impact that certain activities, decisions, or events have had in terms of financial performance.

For example, if a company had sales of $100,000 last year and $120,000 this year, the absolute dollar change in sales would be $20,000, indicating a gain. This measure is distinct from percentage changes, which provide a relative metric, whereas absolute change offers a clear and tangible figure that can be easily interpreted by stakeholders.

Other choices focus on different aspects of financial performance, such as percentage change or market share, rather than the straightforward dollar amount gain or loss, which is what absolute change specifically measures.