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Solution - Absolute value equations

Exact form:

h = - 1

h=-1

See steps

Step-by-step explanation

1. Rewrite the equation without absolute value bars

Use the rules:
$| x | = | y |$ → $x = \pm y$ and $| x | = | y |$ → $\pm x = y$
to write all four options of the equation
$| h - 8 | = | h + 10 |$
without the absolute value bars:

$\| x \| = \| y \|$	$\| h - 8 \| = \| h + 10 \|$
$x = + y$	$(h - 8) = (h + 10)$
$x = - y$	$(h - 8) = - (h + 10)$
$+ x = y$	$(h - 8) = (h + 10)$
$- x = y$	$- (h - 8) = (h + 10)$

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:

$\| x \| = \| y \|$	$\| h - 8 \| = \| h + 10 \|$
$x = + y$ , $+ x = y$	$(h - 8) = (h + 10)$
$x = - y$ , $- x = y$	$(h - 8) = - (h + 10)$

2. Solve the two equations for h

5 additional steps

$(h - 8) = (h + 10)$

Subtract from both sides:

$(h - 8) - h = (h + 10) - h$

Group like terms:

$(h - h) - 8 = (h + 10) - h$

Simplify the arithmetic:

$- 8 = (h + 10) - h$

Group like terms:

$- 8 = (h - h) + 10$

Simplify the arithmetic:

$- 8 = 10$

The statement is false:

$- 8 = 10$

The equation is false so it has no solution.

11 additional steps

$(h - 8) = - (h + 10)$

Expand the parentheses:

$(h - 8) = - h - 10$

Add to both sides:

$(h - 8) + h = (- h - 10) + h$

Group like terms:

$(h + h) - 8 = (- h - 10) + h$

Simplify the arithmetic:

$2 h - 8 = (- h - 10) + h$

Group like terms:

$2 h - 8 = (- h + h) - 10$

Simplify the arithmetic:

$2 h - 8 = - 10$

Add to both sides:

$(2 h - 8) + 8 = - 10 + 8$

Simplify the arithmetic:

$2 h = - 10 + 8$

Simplify the arithmetic:

$2 h = - 2$

Divide both sides by :

$\frac{(2 h)}{2} = \frac{- 2}{2}$

Simplify the fraction:

$h = \frac{- 2}{2}$

Simplify the fraction:

$h = - 1$

3. Graph

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

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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.

Solution - Absolute value equations

Step-by-step explanation

1. Rewrite the equation without absolute value bars

2. Solve the two equations for h

3. Graph

Why learn this

Terms and topics

Related links

Solution - Absolute value equations

Step-by-step explanation

1. Rewrite the equation without absolute value bars

2. Solve the two equations for h

3. Graph

Why learn this

Terms and topics

Related links

Latest Related Drills Solved