SOLUTION: |x|>k is equivalent to?

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Question 1019710: |x|>k is equivalent to?
Answer by Theo(13342) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
i believe the answer is going to be x < -k and x > k

here's how to figure.

start with abs(x) > k

abs(x) means the same as |x| which means absolute value of x.

so start with abs(x) > k.

now abs(x) is equal to x if x > 0 and abs (x) is equal to -x if x < 0.

therefore:

abs(x) > k can be broken up into two equations, one where x is greater than 0 and one where x is smaller than 0.

you get:

-x > k when x is smaller than 0, and x > k when x is greater than 0.

when x is smaller than 0, the equation of -x > k is solved for x as follows:

start with -x > k
multiply both sides of this equation by -1 to get x < -k.
when you multiply both sides of an inequality by a negative number, the inequality reverses.
so, when x < 0, you get x < -k.

when x is greater than 0, the equation of x > k is solved for x as follows:

start with x > k
you're done since the equation has already been solved.

so you have x < -k or x > k.

in interval notation, this solution would be shown as (-infinity,-k) union (k,infinity).

if you were able to graph this inequality, you would get a graph that looks like this:

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