SOLUTION: could you please help me solve this equation |x+1| >(or equal) 4 I tried using both the negative and positive way and I got x>(or equal) 5 and x<(or equal) -5 which gave me

Algebra ->  Inequalities -> SOLUTION: could you please help me solve this equation |x+1| >(or equal) 4 I tried using both the negative and positive way and I got x>(or equal) 5 and x<(or equal) -5 which gave me      Log On


   

Question 1093770: could you please help me solve this equation
|x+1| >(or equal) 4

I tried using both the negative and positive way and I got x>(or equal) 5 and x<(or equal) -5 which gave methe interval (-infinity,-5] U [5,infinity)but that was not correct and I am not sure what I did wrong
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, ikleyn:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Either x+1 is non-negative or x+1 is negative.

Either x%2B1%3E=4 Or -x-1%3E=4;
Either x%3E=3 or x%3C=-5.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The solution set might be the combination of both (-infinity,-5] AND [3,infinity), but these two intervals have no points in common.


(Note that you showed an incorrect value for one of your intervals' boundary values. )

NOT (-infin,-5]U[5,infin), BUT YOU WANT (-infin,-5]U[3,infin).








(fixed)

Answer by ikleyn(52781) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
1.  First, it is not an equation.
    It is inequality, instead.


2.  The solution to this inequality is the set of those real "x" in the number line, that are remoted 4 units from the point (-1).

        This set is  (-infinity,-5] U [3,infinity).


    Notice that the points -5  and  3  are included to the solution set.


Lesson to learn from this solution 

     To get the answer, you do not need to solve any equations.
     It is totally enough to know what the absolute value is.