document.write( "Question 84962: I have a question that states: evaluate the function at the specified value(s) of the independent variable and simplify. f(x)=/x/+7; f(-9). I thought this was -2 but I guess I am wrong. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #61770 by bucky(2189)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Given:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"f%28x%29=abs%28x%29%2B7\"
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\n" ); document.write( "Those \"bars\" surrounding x are absolute value signs. The purpose of absolute value signs
\n" ); document.write( "is to indicate that when the absolute value signs are removed, the quantity within them
\n" ); document.write( "gets changed to a positive value regardless of its sign it had when it was inside the
\n" ); document.write( "absolute value signs. [If the quantity inside the absolute value signs was plus, when the
\n" ); document.write( "absolute value signs are removed, it remains plus. However if the quantity in side the
\n" ); document.write( "absolute value signs was minus, when the absolute value signs are removed, it changes
\n" ); document.write( "from minus to plus.]
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\n" ); document.write( "In this problem you are told to evaluate f(x) when x = -9. Substitute -9 for x and
\n" ); document.write( "f(x) becomes:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"f%28-9%29+=+abs%28-9%29+%2B+7\"
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\n" ); document.write( "Now recall the rule regarding the absolute value signs. Remove them, but change the sign
\n" ); document.write( "of the -9 so that it becomes +9. When you do that, the value of f(-9) becomes:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"f%28-9%29+=+abs%28-9%29+%2B+7+=+9+%2B+7+=+16\"
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\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand the meaning of absolute value signs and how to use them
\n" ); document.write( "in problems such as this one.
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