Answer: 40

Small Hint:

$\frac{k(k-1)}{2}$ is an integer, so each cosine is $\pm 1,$ with sign depending only on $k \bmod 4$

Big Hint:

Group the $80$ terms into consecutive blocks of four starting at $k = 19;$ consecutive triangular numbers differ by $k,$ so each block collapses

Solution:

Since $k(k-1)$ is even, $n_k = \frac{k(k-1)}{2}$ is an integer and $\cos\frac{k(k-1)\pi}{2}$ $= \cos(n_k \pi)$ $= (-1)^{n_k}.$ The parity of the triangular number $n_k$ depends only on $k \bmod 4:$ it is even for $k \equiv 0, 1 \pmod 4$ and odd for $k \equiv 2, 3 \pmod 4.$ So $A_k = n_k$ when $k \equiv 0, 1 \pmod 4$ and $A_k = -n_k$ when $k \equiv 2, 3 \pmod 4.$

Group the $80$ terms into $20$ consecutive blocks of four starting at $k = 19 \equiv 3 \pmod 4.$ Using $n_{j+1} - n_j = j,$ each block with $k \equiv 3 \pmod 4$ collapses: $$\begin{aligned} &A_k + A_{k+1} \\ &\quad {}+ A_{k+2} + A_{k+3} \\ &= (n_{k+1} - n_k) \\ &\quad {}- (n_{k+3} - n_{k+2}) \\ &= k - (k + 2) \\ &= -2. \end{aligned}$$

The total is $20 \cdot (-2) = -40,$ so the requested absolute value is $40.$