document.write( "Question 29017: Hi,
\n" ); document.write( "Could you please help me solve this absolute value equation?. How do i get rid of the negative sign before the absolute value?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "y = - /x-4/\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Thanks
\n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #16069 by sdmmadam@yahoo.com(530)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Hi,
\n" ); document.write( "Could you please help me solve this absolute value equation?. How do i get rid of the negative sign before the absolute value?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "y = - /x-4/\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The absolute value of a real number N denoted by |N| is defined as follows
\n" ); document.write( "|N|= N if N >=0
\n" ); document.write( "|N|= -N if N<0
\n" ); document.write( "Examples.1) |3| = 3
\n" ); document.write( "2)|0| = 0
\n" ); document.write( "3) |-3|= -(-3) =+3
\n" ); document.write( "4) |12|=12
\n" ); document.write( "5)|-12| =12
\n" ); document.write( "6)|-3.8|= +3.8
\n" ); document.write( "From the above what we understand is when there are situations dealing in real numbers where we are interested only in a number N and not in its sign then we enclose the number N in this fashion within two vertical bars and call it the absolute value of N or the modulus of N.
\n" ); document.write( "Applying it to algebra,given a variable u, the absolute value of u denoted by
\n" ); document.write( "|u| is given by |u| = + or - u
\n" ); document.write( "If the variable is say (a-b)then its absolute value denoted by |a-b| is given by
\n" ); document.write( "|a-b| = +(a-b) or -(a-b)
\n" ); document.write( "I hope you have understood these preliminary matters on the definiton of the absolute value of a number.
\n" ); document.write( "Now coming to the problem\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "y = - |x-4|
\n" ); document.write( "Multiplying by (-1) through out
\n" ); document.write( "(-y) = |x-4|
\n" ); document.write( "That is
\n" ); document.write( "(-y) = +(x-4) or -(x-4) according to the definition we have learnt above.
\n" ); document.write( "1)(-y) = +(x-4)implies
\n" ); document.write( "0 = x+y-4
\n" ); document.write( "That is x+y-4=0
\n" ); document.write( "2)(-y) = -(x-4)
\n" ); document.write( "-y = -x+4
\n" ); document.write( "x-y-4 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "Answer: x+y-4=0 or x-y-4 = 0\r
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