document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=71703>Question 71703</A>This question is from textbook <A HREF=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0072934735/algebrahomeworkh>Intermediate Algebra</A><BR>\n" );
document.write( ": <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> 4-3|x-2|=-8\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thank you for your help.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Tammi </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #51266 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><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=51266\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> 4-3|x-2|=-8<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Up to a point, you can work this just as you would work a normal equation.  With that in<BR>\n" );
document.write( "mind, your initial task is to get all the numbers on the right side of the equal sign and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the term involving x on the left side.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So lets start by subtracting 4 from both sides to get rid of the 4 on the left side.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "After you do that subtraction you have changed the equation to:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-3|x-2| = -12<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Since -3 is the multiplier of the left side, get rid of it by dividing both sides by -3 to <BR>\n" );
document.write( "get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "|x-2| = +4<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Here's a way that I now would look at this problem. Look at the quantity inside the absolute<BR>\n" );
document.write( "value signs.  It can either be +(x-2) or it can be -(x-2) and the absolute value signs<BR>\n" );
document.write( "will change it to +(x-2) so both of these [+(x-2)] and [-(x-2)] will work.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Write this in the form of two equations to be solved. The first equation is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "+(x-2) = +4<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and the second equation is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-(x-2) = +4<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "From the first you get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x - 2 = +4 <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and by adding +2 to both sides you arrive at:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x = +6   This is one answer that will work.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "And from the second equation you get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-(x-2) = +4<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "And by removing the parentheses you get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-x + 2 = +4<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Subtracting +2 from both sides reduces this equation to:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-x = +2<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "And finally, we are trying to solve for x not for -x.  So we multiply both sides by -1 to<BR>\n" );
document.write( "arrive at:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x = -2  This is a second solution to this problem.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The two answers to this problem are x = +6 and x = -2.  Check them by substituting<BR>\n" );
document.write( "them into the original problem and you will find that they work.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I hope this helps you by providing a way you can work absolute value problems.  Not everyone<BR>\n" );
document.write( "works these problems this way, but I find it easy for me to understand and remember. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Maybe you will too. </SPAN>\n" );
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