document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=999394>Question 999394</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Good evening <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Before I ask my question I would like to know what |-x| or |x| means in math. I need to know this before I could answer any question with that symbol in it.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Mow here is my real question:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "solve<BR>\n" );
document.write( "|x - 4| = 2 \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "I know this has nothing to do with math but I would like to know how to ask a question directly from this site.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I normally would have to go to google first and type in \"how to ask a question on algebra.com\" then click on ask a question on algebra.com but I would like to be able to this directly from the site. Thank you for your help. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #617262 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Fombitz><B>Fombitz(32388)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Fombitz><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Fombitz><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=617262\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The two brackets stand for the absolute value function.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "It's a function that always returns a positive number or zero, never a negative number. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "The definition is, if the argument is positive, the value of the abs. value is the value of the argument.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "If the argument is negative, the value of the abs. value is (-1) multiplied by the argument.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So example,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<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;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=abs%28-18%29=-%28-18%29=18 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"abs%28-18%29=-%28-18%29=18\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Pretty straightforward.<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=abs%28x-4%29=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"abs%28x-4%29=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since you don't know the value of the argument, you basically solve both problems.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Assuming it's positive,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x-4=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x-4=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( ".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Assuming it's negative,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-%28x-4%29=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-%28x-4%29=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x-4=-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x-4=-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So those are the two solutions, <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );