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# How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?

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Manager
Joined: 10 May 2009
Posts: 59
How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?  [#permalink]

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Updated on: 15 Mar 2014, 05:38
4
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Difficulty:

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Question Stats:

52% (01:03) correct 48% (00:57) wrong based on 1049 sessions

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How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. 4

M13-02

Originally posted by prinits on 07 Jun 2009, 02:13.
Last edited by Bunuel on 15 Mar 2014, 05:38, edited 2 times in total.
Renamed the topic and edited the question.
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Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 49267
Re: How many roots does this equation have? ||x+2|-2|=2  [#permalink]

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29 Apr 2013, 07:26
4
7
imhimanshu wrote:
Hi Experts,
I would like to understand what exactly the question is testing? What are we supposed to find in such questions.

Thanks
H

We should find the number of values of x that satisfy the given equation.

How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. 4

$$||x +2|-2|=2$$ two cases:

1. $$|x +2|=0$$ --> $$x=-2$$;
2. $$|x +2|=4$$ --> $$x=2$$ or $$x=-6$$.

So, the given equation has three roots: -2, 2, and -6.

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Re: Roots issue  [#permalink]

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07 Jun 2009, 02:21
11
1
prinits wrote:
How many roots does this equation have?

||x+2|-2|=2

the same as:|x+2|-2 = + - 2

1. |x+2|-2=2 -->|x+2|=4, again, x+2=+ -4
1.1, x+2=4, x=2
1.2, x+2=-4, x=-6

2. |x+2|-2=-2 -->|x+2|=0, x=-2

So, x=-6,-2,2
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Re: How many roots does this equation have? ||x+2|-2|=2  [#permalink]

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29 Apr 2013, 07:13
Hi Experts,
I would like to understand what exactly the question is testing? What are we supposed to find in such questions.

Thanks
H
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Joined: 07 Sep 2010
Posts: 281
Re: How many roots does this equation have? ||x+2|-2|=2  [#permalink]

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30 Apr 2013, 05:19
Bunuel wrote:

We should find the number of values of x that satisfy the given equation.

Thanks Bunuel for the explanation. However, I would like to ask, Is it possible to solve it through graphs. Also, What does above equation mean in terms of graphical representation. i.e Do we need to find the number of points for line y=2 intersects the graph. Is it correct representation of the given equation.

Regards,
H
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Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 49267
Re: How many roots does this equation have? ||x+2|-2|=2  [#permalink]

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30 Apr 2013, 06:26
3
1
imhimanshu wrote:
Bunuel wrote:

We should find the number of values of x that satisfy the given equation.

Thanks Bunuel for the explanation. However, I would like to ask, Is it possible to solve it through graphs. Also, What does above equation mean in terms of graphical representation. i.e Do we need to find the number of points for line y=2 intersects the graph. Is it correct representation of the given equation.

Regards,
H

Possible? Yes.
Good approach? No.

As for the graph itself:
Attachment:

graph.png [ 5.93 KiB | Viewed 10218 times ]
Hope it helps.
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Re: How many roots does this equation have? ||x+2|-2|=2  [#permalink]

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24 Jun 2013, 13:06
Could you explain this one to me? Why can we just drop the outer absolute value signs? Why don't we do the same for the inner ones? What happens if this is an inequality with three pairs of absolute value signs in one another?

Thanks!

Bunuel wrote:
imhimanshu wrote:
Hi Experts,
I would like to understand what exactly the question is testing? What are we supposed to find in such questions.

Thanks
H

We should find the number of values of x that satisfy the given equation.

How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. 4

$$||x +2|-2|=2$$ two cases:

1. $$|x +2|=0$$ --> $$x=-2$$;
2. $$|x +2|=4$$ --> $$x=2$$ or $$x=-6$$.

So, the given equation has three roots: -2, 2, and -6.

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M13-2 GMATCLUB MATH Q  [#permalink]

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15 Mar 2014, 02:47
Q. How many roots does the equation ||x+2|−2|=2 have?

a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3
3. 4

I am okay with the solution given for the above problem but I tried solving by solving algebraically and I missed out on one of the roots.

||x+2|−2|=2----->>Can be re-written as

$$\sqrt{({| {|x+2|}−{2}|)^{2}}$$ = 2
Squaring both sides we get
(||x+2|−2|)^2 = 4
Now |x+2| is positive so the expression can be written as ((x+2)-2)^2= 4 or x^2=4 or x=-2 or 2

How do I get -6 (another root) which should be there actually...Did I do anything wrong above.

PS: Looked on the forum before but could not find anything so posting it here.

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Posts: 49267
Re: M13-2 GMATCLUB MATH Q  [#permalink]

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15 Mar 2014, 05:50
4
1
WoundedTiger wrote:
Q. How many roots does the equation ||x+2|−2|=2 have?

a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3
3. 4

I am okay with the solution given for the above problem but I tried solving by solving algebraically and I missed out on one of the roots.

||x+2|−2|=2----->>Can be re-written as

$$\sqrt{({| {|x+2|}−{2}|)^{2}}$$ = 2
Squaring both sides we get
(||x+2|−2|)^2 = 4
Now |x+2| is positive so the expression can be written as ((x+2)-2)^2= 4 or x^2=4 or x=-2 or 2

How do I get -6 (another root) which should be there actually...Did I do anything wrong above.

PS: Looked on the forum before but could not find anything so posting it here.

Yes |x+2| is positive but |x+2| = x+2, only when x>=-2. What you should have done is as follows:

Square: $$||x+2|-2|=2$$:

$$(x+2)^2-4|x+2|+4=4$$;

$$x^2+4x+4-4|x+2|+4=4$$;

$$x^2+4x+4=4|x+2|$$;

$$(x+2)^2=4|x+2|$$;

$$(x+2)^4=16(x+2)^2$$;

$$((x+2)^2-4(x+2))((x+2)^2-4(x+2))=0$$;

$$(x^2-4)(x+2)(x+6)=0$$;

$$x=2$$, $$x=-2$$, or $$x=-6$$.

Hope it's clear.
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Re: M13-2 GMATCLUB MATH Q  [#permalink]

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15 Mar 2014, 05:59
Bunuel wrote:
WoundedTiger wrote:
Q. How many roots does the equation ||x+2|−2|=2 have?

a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3
3. 4

I am okay with the solution given for the above problem but I tried solving by solving algebraically and I missed out on one of the roots.

||x+2|−2|=2----->>Can be re-written as

$$\sqrt{({| {|x+2|}−{2}|)^{2}}$$ = 2
Squaring both sides we get
(||x+2|−2|)^2 = 4
Now |x+2| is positive so the expression can be written as ((x+2)-2)^2= 4 or x^2=4 or x=-2 or 2

How do I get -6 (another root) which should be there actually...Did I do anything wrong above.

PS: Looked on the forum before but could not find anything so posting it here.

Yes |x+2| is positive but |x+2| = x+2, only when x>=-2. What you should have done is as follows:

Square: $$||x+2|-2|=2$$:

$$(x+2)^2-4|x+2|+4=4$$;

$$x^2+4x+4-4|x+2|+4=4$$;

$$x^2+4x+4=4|x+2|$$;

$$(x+2)^2=4|x+2|$$;

$$(x+2)^4=16(x+2)^2$$;

$$((x+2)^2-4(x+2))((x+2)^2-4(x+2))=0$$;

$$(x^2-4)(x+2)(x+6)=0$$;

$$x=2$$, $$x=-2$$, or $$x=-6$$.

Hope it's clear.

Thanks for the solution Bunuel!!!

This one is certainly complicated if we follow algebra.
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Posts: 206
Re: How many roots does this equation have? ||x+2|-2|=2  [#permalink]

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08 Jun 2014, 00:17
Bunuel wrote:
imhimanshu wrote:
Hi Experts,
I would like to understand what exactly the question is testing? What are we supposed to find in such questions.

Thanks
H

We should find the number of values of x that satisfy the given equation.

How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. 4

$$||x +2|-2|=2$$ two cases:

1. $$|x +2|=0$$ --> $$x=-2$$;
2. $$|x +2|=4$$ --> $$x=2$$ or $$x=-6$$.

So, the given equation has three roots: -2, 2, and -6.

Hi Bunnel,

I have one doube here how are you getting second equation because ? are we transfering -2 from lhs to RHS. but this is an absolute value so how can we transfer this. it will become 0 in RHS.

Thanks
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Posts: 49267
Re: How many roots does this equation have? ||x+2|-2|=2  [#permalink]

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08 Jun 2014, 03:38
1
PathFinder007 wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
imhimanshu wrote:
Hi Experts,
I would like to understand what exactly the question is testing? What are we supposed to find in such questions.

Thanks
H

We should find the number of values of x that satisfy the given equation.

How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. 4

$$||x +2|-2|=2$$ two cases:

1. $$|x +2|=0$$ --> $$x=-2$$;
2. $$|x +2|=4$$ --> $$x=2$$ or $$x=-6$$.

So, the given equation has three roots: -2, 2, and -6.

Hi Bunnel,

I have one doube here how are you getting second equation because ? are we transfering -2 from lhs to RHS. but this is an absolute value so how can we transfer this. it will become 0 in RHS.

Thanks

No, I'm not doing that.

Let |x +2|=a, then we'd have: $$|a-2|=2$$:

1. $$a=0$$ --> $$|x +2|=0$$ --> $$x=-2$$;
2. $$a=4$$ --> $$|x +2|=4$$ --> $$x=2$$ or $$x=-6$$.

Hope it's clear.
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Re: How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?  [#permalink]

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30 Jan 2015, 21:04
2
||x + 2 |-2| = 2
|x + 2| - 2 = 2 or |x + 2| - 2 = -2
|x+2| = 4 or |x + 2| = 0
x + 2 = 4 or x + 2 = -4 or x + 2 = 0
x = 2 or x = -6 or x = -2

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Re: How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?  [#permalink]

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20 Apr 2015, 09:01
We should find the number of values of x that satisfy the given equation.

How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. 4

||x+2|−2|=2 two cases:

1. |x+2|=0 --> x=−2;
2. |x+2|=4 --> x=2 or x=−6.

So, the given equation has three roots: -2, 2, and -6.

Still not clear how to determine " two cases/ three cases" in general for all such equations .
The GMAT book also talks about key points and associated condition in the three stage approach for inequalities calculations
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Re: How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?  [#permalink]

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08 Oct 2015, 10:42
1
Hi All,

Since this equation has an absolute value embedded inside another absolute value, the key to solving it is to work from the "outside" in…

We're given || X +2 | - 2 | = 2

Let's rewrite this as…

||something| - 2| = 2

Taking the "-2" and the "outside" absolute value into account, we need the left "side" of the equation to equal EITHER 2 or -2….

So….

|something| - 2 = 2
|something| - 2 = -2

In the first option, we need |something| to equal 4
In the second option, we need |something| to equal 0

Now we can deal with the inner absolute value….

|X + 2| = 4

This has two solutions: -6 and +2

|X + 2| = 0

This has one solution: -2

Thus, we have 3 solutions/roots.

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Re: How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have?  [#permalink]

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15 Jan 2018, 07:17
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Re: How many roots does the equation || x +2 | - 2 | = 2 have? &nbs [#permalink] 15 Jan 2018, 07:17
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