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Solution - Absolute value equations

Exact form: x=2,0
x=-2 , 0

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
|3x3|=|6x+3|
without the absolute value bars:

|x|=|y||3x3|=|6x+3|
x=+y(3x3)=(6x+3)
x=y(3x3)=(6x+3)
+x=y(3x3)=(6x+3)
x=y(3x3)=(6x+3)

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||3x3|=|6x+3|
x=+y , +x=y(3x3)=(6x+3)
x=y , x=y(3x3)=(6x+3)

2. Solve the two equations for x

13 additional steps

(3x-3)=(6x+3)

Subtract from both sides:

(3x-3)-6x=(6x+3)-6x

Group like terms:

(3x-6x)-3=(6x+3)-6x

Simplify the arithmetic:

-3x-3=(6x+3)-6x

Group like terms:

-3x-3=(6x-6x)+3

Simplify the arithmetic:

3x3=3

Add to both sides:

(-3x-3)+3=3+3

Simplify the arithmetic:

3x=3+3

Simplify the arithmetic:

3x=6

Divide both sides by :

(-3x)-3=6-3

Cancel out the negatives:

3x3=6-3

Simplify the fraction:

x=6-3

Move the negative sign from the denominator to the numerator:

x=-63

Find the greatest common factor of the numerator and denominator:

x=(-2·3)(1·3)

Factor out and cancel the greatest common factor:

x=2

9 additional steps

(3x-3)=-(6x+3)

Expand the parentheses:

(3x-3)=-6x-3

Add to both sides:

(3x-3)+6x=(-6x-3)+6x

Group like terms:

(3x+6x)-3=(-6x-3)+6x

Simplify the arithmetic:

9x-3=(-6x-3)+6x

Group like terms:

9x-3=(-6x+6x)-3

Simplify the arithmetic:

9x3=3

Add to both sides:

(9x-3)+3=-3+3

Simplify the arithmetic:

9x=3+3

Simplify the arithmetic:

9x=0

Divide both sides by the coefficient:

x=0

3. List the solutions

x=2,0
(2 solution(s))

4. Graph

Each line represents the function of one side of the equation:
y=|3x3|
y=|6x+3|
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.