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How To Solve Absolute Value Equations

Solving absolute value equations involves isolating the absolute value and then splitting the equation into two separate equations by setting the absolute value term to both its positive and negative values. This results in two solutions. Solving absolute value inequalities is similar but requires determining if it is an "OR" or "AND" problem depending on if the inequality is greater than or less than, and turning the inequality around when setting the absolute value term to its negative value.

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67 views

How To Solve Absolute Value Equations

Solving absolute value equations involves isolating the absolute value and then splitting the equation into two separate equations by setting the absolute value term to both its positive and negative values. This results in two solutions. Solving absolute value inequalities is similar but requires determining if it is an "OR" or "AND" problem depending on if the inequality is greater than or less than, and turning the inequality around when setting the absolute value term to its negative value.

Uploaded by

Lexxy357
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Solving Absolute Value Equations

Solving absolute value equations is almost the exact same as solving regular equations with one major difference. In most cases you have 2 solutions. Example: |x|=5 We know that when x = 5, | 5 | will also equal 5, but it is also true that | -5 | will equal 5. So, for | x | = 5, x = {-5, 5}. They both work.

How to solve absolute value equations


1) Isolate the absolute value. 2) Split into two separate equations, setting one to the negative and one to the positive. Example: | 2x + 6 | - 3 = 13 1) Isolate the absolute value: ** The steps are the same as if you were getting the x by itself. You move away all other numbers by doing the opposite operation:** | 2x + 6 | - 3 = 13 +3 +3 | 2x + 6 | = 16 2) Now split into two separate equations and solve each. 2x + 6 = -16 -6 -6 2x = -22 2 2 x = -11 3) Check by substituting in the original equation. Do in NB (with checks): 1) | 6x + 12 | = 24 3) | 8x 2 | = 42 5) | 10 x | = 16 2) | 6 2x | = 14 4) | x + 6 | = 2 6) | 4x 12 | = -36 2x + 6 = 16 -6 -6 2x = 10 2 2 x=5

On #s 1-10, notice how the steps of isolating the absolute value are the same as if you were isolating the x. 1) 5x + 9 = 144 2) 5| 3x 6 | + 9 = 144

3)

x . 3=1 7

4)

| 12x 8 | . 7

3=1

5) x 11 = -3

6) |2x 10| - 11 = -3

7) 4x 5 . = 9 3

8) 4| 8x 16 | - 5 . = 9 3

9) | 4x 5| + 15 = 36

10) 6| 3x 12 | - 5 = 49

11)

5x + 7 . 8 = - 6 11

12) 5| 6x -15 | + 7 . 8 = -6 11

13) |2x 4| + 4 = -9

14) 4| 8x 16 | - 5 . = 9 7

Quiz Review: Do all problems in NB:


1) 3|6x 12| + 5 = 59 2) |10x + 2| - 7 = 17

3) -3|16x -8| + 3 = 123

4) 2|6x -9| _ - 34 = -4 5 6) 3|4x 12| _ - 4 = 20 5 8) 5|12x 4| + 8 = 72 4 10) |2x + 3| - 12 = -6

5) |3x 3|__ = -3 -11 7) 3|7x + 21| - 1 = 52 2 9) -2|8x 4| - 5 = -93

11) 4|5x -10| + 23 = 3

12) 3|12x + 8| _ - 7 = -1 8 14) 5|12x 4| + 8 = 72 4 16) 6|6x 9| + 4 + 11 = -15 5

13) 3|7x + 14| - 1 = 25 5 15) 2|6x 24|_ + 5 = 17 9

Answer Key:
1) x = {-1, 5} 5) x = {-10,12} 9) x = {-5,6} 13) x ={-8, 4} 2) x = {-5, 14/3} 6) x = {-7,13} 10) x ={-6,3} 14) x ={-13/3, 5} 3) No Solution 7) x ={-8,-2} 11) No Solution 15) x ={-5,13} 4) x = {-11,14} 8) x = {-13/3, 5} 12) x ={-2, } 16) No Solution

Absolute Value Inequalities


5

Solving absolute value inequalities combine the strategies you used in: 1) Solving and Graphing Compound Inequalities 2) Solving Absolute Value Equations Every absolute value inequality is a compound inequality. The 2 separate inequalities come from when you split the inequality once the absolute value is isolated. So first, you isolate the absolute value following all the same steps as you did when isolating the absolute value when solving an absolute value equation. Then you split and set to the negative and the positive. The new stuff: 1) Once the absolute value is isolated, you choose whether it will be an AND problem or an OR problem. - Greater than (> , > ) will be an OR problem. (Graph both and keep) - Less than (<, < ) will be an AND problem. (Graph both and keep the intersection) 2) When you split the absolute value YOU MUST TURN THE INEQUALITY AROUND WHEN SETTING TO THE NEGATIVE. Example: Isolate the abs. val.: Split and turn the ineq. around (to less than) when setting to -5 and solve each ineq: | 2x 3 | - 10 > -5 +10 +10 | 2x 3 | 2x 3 < -5 +3 +3 2x < -2 2 2 x<-1 > 5 2x 3 > 5 +3 +3 2x >8 2 2

Since its a Greater than, it is an OR problem and will be graphed accordingly.

OR

x>4

<-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Special Situations: Just like when you were learning absolute value equations, if you isolate the absolute value and it is greater than or less than a negative number, it is a special situation: a) |4x + 2| = -10 b) |4x + 2| < -10 c) |4x + 2| > -10

Solve each inequality and graph in your notebook: 1) |5x| > 30 2) |-7x| < 14 3) |-3x| < -21 5) 4| 3x 6 | - 9 > 27 7) |8x 16| + 11 < 17 4) |5x - 10| > 15 6) -6|4x 12| - 11 > -131 8) |5x + 10| - 22 > -12

9)

5 | 12x 8 | - 8 . 4

< 33

10) 3|8x + 16| 4

- 35 < -5

13) -5|14 - 7x| + 6 < 41

14) -3 |15 - x| + 35 > 2

15)

6 | 7x 28 | . 14

3<3

16) 4| 5x - 2 | + 3 . > -15 -5

17) 3|2x - 8| + 2 > 4 5

18) 5|10x + 5| -3 < 18 4

19) 2|6x 24|_ + 5 > 17 -9

20) 6|6x 9| + 4 + 11 > -15 5

Quiz Review
1) - 8| 3x 9 | + 30 > 6 2) - 3| 8x 4 | . - 5 < -17 7 3) | 12x 6 | + 4 > 16 4) 4| 4x + 4 | + 3 . > -7 -5 5) -5| 6x - 3 | - 6 > - 51 6) 2 | 8x 4 | + 11 . > 11 -7 7) | 8x + 8 | - 30 > -2 8) 3| 2x + 4 | + 14 < 20 2 9) 2| 9x + 18 | + 25 > 7 10) 8 | 10 5x | + 2 . > 6 7 11) -6 | 2 x | - 3 < -27 12) 3| 4x - 12 | - 18 < -9 8 Make sure your remember: 1) Once the absolute value is isolated, you choose whether it will be an AND problem or an OR problem. - Greater than (> , > ) will be an OR problem. (Graph both and keep) - Less than (<, < ) will be an AND problem. (Graph both and keep the intersection) 2) When you split the absolute value YOU MUST TURN THE

INEQUALITY AROUND WHEN SETTING TO THE NEGATIVE.

Answer Key:
1) |3x 9| < 3
x>2 x<4

4) |4x + 4| < 8
x> -3 x < 1

7)|8x+8| >32
x < -5 x > 3

10) |10-5x| > 5


x>3 x<1

2) |8x 4| > 28
x <-3 x>4

5) |6x-3| < 9
x >-1 x < 2

8) |2x+4| < 4
x > -4 x < 0

11) |2- x| > 4


x <-4 x > 12

3) 12x 6| > 18 x <-1 x > 2

6) |8x 4| < -44


No Solution

9) |9x+18| > -9
Infinite Amount of Solutions

12) |4x-12| < 24


x> -3 x < 9

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