9/4/2018

Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities

To Solve Absolute Value Equations -
1. Make it so that the absolute value is on one side of the equal sign by itself
2. Write two separate equations
a. One that is equal to a positive value and one that is equal to a negative value
b. One where the absolute value equation is how it is written and one where the
absolute value is opposite (negative) to how it is written
3. Solve each equation and plot on a number line
To Solve Absolute Value Inequalities -
1. Make it so that the absolute value is on one side of the inequality sign by itself
2. Write two separate equations
a. One that has a > sign and one that has a < sign. The one with the opposite sign as
written in the inequality is negative
b. One where the absolute value is how it is written and one where the absolute
value is opposite (negative) to how it is written
3. Solve each inequality and graph on a number line
Examples: x =-5
1. l​x​l​ = 5 5. l​xl​ ​ < 3
x=5 x<3
-x = 5 -x < 3
x = -5 x > -3
2. l​x-1​l​ = 3 6. l​x-1​l​ ≤ 2
x-1=3 x-1 ≤ 2
x=4 x ≤ 3
-x + 1 = 3 -x + 1 ≤ 2
-x = 2 -x ≤ 1
x = -2 x ≥ -1
3. 2​l​x-3​l​ -1 = 7 7. l​xl​ ​ ≥ 1
2​l​x-3​l​ = 8 x ≥ 1
l​x-3​l​ = 4 -x ≥ 1
x-3=4 x ≤ -1
x=7 8. 3​l​x+1​l​ -2 > 4
-x + 3 = 4 3​l​x+1​l​ > 6
-x = 1
x = -1
l​x+1​l ​> 2
x+1>2
4. l​2x​l​ -3 = 7 x>1
l​2x​l​ = 10 -x -1 > 2
2x = 10 -x > 3
x=5 x < -3
-2x = 10