document.write( "Question 938739: What is the solution set of | x - 5 | = -3? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #571923 by MathLover1(20849)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The absolute value of \"x\", denoted \"\"abs%28+x+%29\"\" (and which is read as \"the absolute value of \"x\"\"), is the distance of \"x\" from \"zero\". This is why absolute value is \"never\"\"+negative\"; absolute value only asks \"how far?\", not \"in which direction?\" This means not only that \"abs%28+3+%29+=+3\", because \"3\" is three units to the right of zero, but also that \"abs%28+3+%29+=+3\", because \"-3\" is three units to the left of zero.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "you have \"abs%28+x-5+%29+=+-3\" and it means \"abs%28+x-5+%29\" is equal to negative number \"-3\" which cannot be; so, there is \"no\" solution for given equation
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );