Question 390782
|4n-5|=18

Remove the absolute value term.  This creates a \ on the right-hand side of the equation because |x|=\x.
4n-5=\(18)

Set up the + portion of the \ solution.
4n-5=18

Move all terms not containing n to the right-hand side of the equation.
4n=23

Divide each term in the equation by 4.
n=(23)/(4)

Set up the - portion of the \ solution.
4n-5=-(18)

Multiply -1 by the 18 inside the parentheses.
4n-5=-18

Since -5 does not contain the variable to solve for, move it to the right-hand side of the equation by adding 5 to both sides.
4n=5-18

Subtract 18 from 5 to get -13.
4n=-13

Divide each term in the equation by 4.
(4n)/(4)=-(13)/(4)

Simplify the left-hand side of the equation by canceling the common factors.
n=-(13)/(4)

The solution to the equation includes both the positive and negative portions of the solution.
n=(23)/(4),-(13)/(4)