SOLUTION: What are the steps to solve for the absolute value |y| in the following: |y| - 4 = 3y Thanks

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Question 166127: What are the steps to solve for the absolute value |y| in the following:
|y| - 4 = 3y
Thanks

Answer by sata001(4) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Assume y=c is a solution. There are 2 cases:
(1) c is positive, in this case |c|=c and we get,
|c| - 4 = 3c
c-4=3c
2c=-4
c=-2
we assumed c is positive so this solution is not true,
(2) c is negative, in this case |c|=-c and we get,
|c| - 4 = 3c
-c-4=3c
4c=-4
c=-1
we assumed c is negative so this answer is true.