diff --git a/python/pyspark/rdd.py b/python/pyspark/rdd.py
index 20c0bc93f413c..1b64be23a667e 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/rdd.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/rdd.py
@@ -2198,7 +2198,7 @@ def sumApprox(self, timeout, confidence=0.95):
 
         >>> rdd = sc.parallelize(range(1000), 10)
         >>> r = sum(range(1000))
-        >>> (rdd.sumApprox(1000) - r) / r < 0.05
+        >>> abs(rdd.sumApprox(1000) - r) / r < 0.05
         True
         """
         jrdd = self.mapPartitions(lambda it: [float(sum(it))])._to_java_object_rdd()
@@ -2215,7 +2215,7 @@ def meanApprox(self, timeout, confidence=0.95):
 
         >>> rdd = sc.parallelize(range(1000), 10)
         >>> r = sum(range(1000)) / 1000.0
-        >>> (rdd.meanApprox(1000) - r) / r < 0.05
+        >>> abs(rdd.meanApprox(1000) - r) / r < 0.05
         True
         """
         jrdd = self.map(float)._to_java_object_rdd()