Uhhh…what?

So I’m doing some work today, and I come across some tax calculation rules that really boggle the mind. Now, mind you, I do this every day, and occasionally I come across some bone-headed rule that is the result of a typo or someone cross referencing the wrong form. But this one is really, really out there.

I realize this is without context, but bear with me.  Here’s the logic for this calculation:  If A-B is negative, take the result of A-B. Multiply it by -1. Multiply it by -1 again.

Wwwhhhaaaatttt? I realize they’re trying to get the absolute value of A-B, since the field is labeled as a loss, and no “-” sign is needed. What the hell is the point of multiplying it by -1 twice? Now they end up with a “-500″ or whatever.  This kind of stuff just boggles my mind, I run into “logic” like this at least once a day. No wonder so many of these forms are messed up and don’t calculate correctly. I can only hope this rule is some Frankenstein calculation rule born from lots of copying and pasting rather than someone dutifully going through it and confirming the logic in their head.