document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=204195>Question 204195</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0030291070/algebrahomeworkh>Elementary & Intermediate Algebra</A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> This is the problem. I don't know what to use so I am using an l for an absolute value bracket. l-4l < -l-4l.  The answer in the book is the greater than symbol.  My question is, is that because there is a negative sign before the second absolute value bracket of the second -4.  Thank you\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Roxanne </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #154162 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=154162\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Remember that the absolute value of ANY number is ALWAYS positive. So <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=abs%28-2%29=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"abs%28-2%29=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=abs%285%29=5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"abs%285%29=5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In your case, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=abs%28-4%29%3C-abs%28-4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"abs%28-4%29%3C-abs%28-4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > simplifies to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%3C-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%3C-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > which is NOT true. So you need to flip the inequality to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%3E-4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%3E-4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > which is now true. So you are correct: the outer negative sign does make the right hand side smaller. </SPAN>\n" );
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