1. Solving Absolute Value Equations
Section 1.5
Solving Absolute Value
Equations

2. Def: The distance from the origin to a point x units from the origin is the absolute value of x.
Either direction the distance is x
You can’t have negative distance
Notation: x

3. 1) What two numbers have an absolute value of 6?x
2) What two numbers have an absolute value of 14?

4. To solve for the absolute value of a number
x= ?
x could be either in the positive or the negative direction , therefore the answer could be either ±
Read this as:
“+ or -”
+ or -
x= ± (x)
2 answers

5. 3.) Solve:
x= 5
± (x) = 5

6. Think of everything inside the absolue value symbols
4.) Solve:  k  = 9
Think of everything inside
the absolue value symbols
as representing one quantity

7. 5.) Solve: -2 x + 3 = 6
 x + 3 = - 3
Does this make sense?
 (any quantity)  = can’t be negative
No solution:
{ Ø }

8. 6.) Solve  x + 6  = 2x

9. Homework
Page 41
Problems: all, 25,28,29,31,32,33,36,38,40, and 41