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Solution - Absolute value equations

Exact form: c=1,-23
c=1 , -\frac{2}{3}
Decimal form: c=1,0.667
c=1 , -0.667

Other Ways to Solve

Absolute value equations

Step-by-step explanation

1. Rewrite the equation without absolute value bars

Use the rules:
|x|=|y|x=±y and |x|=|y|±x=y
to write all four options of the equation
|2c+8|=|10c|
without the absolute value bars:

|x|=|y||2c+8|=|10c|
x=+y(2c+8)=(10c)
x=y(2c+8)=(10c)
+x=y(2c+8)=(10c)
x=y(2c+8)=(10c)

When simplified, equations x=+y and +x=y are the same and equations x=y and x=y are the same, so we end up with only 2 equations:

|x|=|y||2c+8|=|10c|
x=+y , +x=y(2c+8)=(10c)
x=y , x=y(2c+8)=(10c)

2. Solve the two equations for c

11 additional steps

(2c+8)=10c

Subtract from both sides:

(2c+8)-10c=(10c)-10c

Group like terms:

(2c-10c)+8=(10c)-10c

Simplify the arithmetic:

-8c+8=(10c)-10c

Simplify the arithmetic:

8c+8=0

Subtract from both sides:

(-8c+8)-8=0-8

Simplify the arithmetic:

8c=08

Simplify the arithmetic:

8c=8

Divide both sides by :

(-8c)-8=-8-8

Cancel out the negatives:

8c8=-8-8

Simplify the fraction:

c=-8-8

Cancel out the negatives:

c=88

Simplify the fraction:

c=1

9 additional steps

(2c+8)=-10c

Subtract from both sides:

(2c+8)-8=(-10c)-8

Simplify the arithmetic:

2c=(-10c)-8

Add to both sides:

(2c)+10c=((-10c)-8)+10c

Simplify the arithmetic:

12c=((-10c)-8)+10c

Group like terms:

12c=(-10c+10c)-8

Simplify the arithmetic:

12c=8

Divide both sides by :

(12c)12=-812

Simplify the fraction:

c=-812

Find the greatest common factor of the numerator and denominator:

c=(-2·4)(3·4)

Factor out and cancel the greatest common factor:

c=-23

3. List the solutions

c=1,-23
(2 solution(s))

4. Graph

Each line represents the function of one side of the equation:
y=|2c+8|
y=|10c|
The equation is true where the two lines cross.

Why learn this

We encounter absolute values almost daily. For example: If you walk 3 miles to school, do you also walk minus 3 miles when you go back home? The answer is no because distances use absolute value. The absolute value of the distance between home and school is 3 miles, there or back.
In short, absolute values help us deal with concepts like distance, ranges of possible values, and deviation from a set value.