What is between the absolute value bars,
, can either be negative or
non-negative, so we must always make two
separate equations, one for each case:
Case 1:
Then is non-negative and
we can just replace the absolute value bars
by parentheses, so
becomes simply:
Case 2:
Then is negative and so we
must multiply what is between the absolute
value bars by -1 to make it a positive
number, so w replace 
by
. So
becomes 
But we must check both solutions because
sometimes we get extraneous solutions,
that is, bogus solutions, that do not check,
and these must be discarded.
Checking in original:
So 
is a solution.
Checking in original:
So 
is also a solution.
The solutions are -1 and -3.
Edwin
