Question 42905
With absolute values you are looking at distances away from zero on the number line.  Is the distance to the right (positive) or to the left (negative) of zero?  Since we do not know the direction of the distance, we must use two equations.  One equation in case the number is to the right of zero.  And the other equation in case the number is to the left of zero. 
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So the problem is set up as:

2w + 4 = +-(6) (positive and negative 6)
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First, use the positive 6
2w+4=+6
2w=6-4
2w=2
w=1
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Check the answer when w=1:
|2(1) + 4| = 6
|6| = 6
6=6 Therefore this is a true statement
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Second, use the negative 6
2w+4=-6
2w=-6-4
2w=-10
w=-5
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.Checking that w=-5
|2(-5) + 4| = 6
|-10+ 4| = 6
|-6| = 6
6=6 is a true statement, so w=-5