6-5 Solving Absolute Value Equations To learn how to solve Absolute Value Equations
What is Absolute Value? The Absolute Value of a number is its distance from zero on a number line. The symbol 𝑎 represents the absolute value of a. Remember, since you are measuring distance the absolute value of a number will always be positive.
Absolute Value Equations Consider the case 𝑥 =5. This means the Distance between 0 and x is 5 units. 5 is five units from 0 -5 is also five units from 0 So 𝑥=5 𝑜𝑟 𝑥=−5 There are two solutions!
Absolute Value of a Number
So there are two cases… Case 1: The value inside the absolute value symbol can be positive. Case 2: The value inside the absolute value symbol can be negative.
Ex 2: Solve an Absolute Value Equation
Ex 2: Solve an Absolute Value Equation
Ex 2B: Solve an Absolute Value Equation
Solving Absolute Value Equations Isolate Absolute Value on one side of the equation. Set up two equations one equals a positive distance one equals a negative distance. Solve for the variables. Check your answers.
Ex 3: No Solution Because Absolut Value measures distance, we can never take an absolute value and get a negative value. Because my absolute value expression equals a negative integer, there is no solution to this problem.
Checking Solutions… It is important to check your solutions when solving absolute value equations. Sometimes the answers may not be the correct solution to the original equation.
Ex 4: One Solution So far it looks like my solutions are 4 and -1.
Ex 4: One Solution(Check) So my solution is 4.