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Kritisood
What is the minimum value of |x +11| - |x - 7|?

A. -18
B. -4
C. 0
D. 4
E. 18

@Experts how is the answer -18? if i take x = -11 |-11+11| - |-11-7| => - |-18| => value inside the mod is <0 therefore -18 will come out when i remove the mod -(-18) = +18
could someone correct what im doing wrong?

Kritisood

|x +11| - |x - 7| = (Distance of x from -11) - (Distance of x from +7)

So if you take any values which is -11 or less than -11 i.e. to the left of -11 on number line then the distance of value x from 7 will be maximum which will minimize the value of function

For any values of x ≤-11



then the distance |x +11| - |x - 7| = -18

e.g. @x = -12, |x +11| - |x - 7| = |-12 +11| - |-12 - 7| = 1-19 = -18
e.g. @x = -13, |x +11| - |x - 7| = |-13 +11| - |-13 - 7| = 2-20 = -18

Answer: Option A
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Kritisood
What is the minimum value of |x +11| - |x - 7|?

A. -18
B. -4
C. 0
D. 4
E. 18

@Experts how is the answer -18? if i take x = -11 |-11+11| - |-11-7| => - |-18| => value inside the mod is <0 therefore -18 will come out when i remove the mod -(-18) = +18
could someone correct what im doing wrong?

Asked: What is the minimum value of |x +11| - |x - 7|?

|x +11| - |x - 7|

Case 1: x<-11
|x +11| - |x - 7| = -x-11 - (-x+7) = -11-7 = - 18
Case 2: -11<=x<=7
|x +11| - |x - 7| = x+11 - (-x+7) = 2x+4
For x=-11; 2x+4 = -22+4 = -18
Case 3: x>7
|x +11| - |x - 7| = x+11 - (x-7) = 11+7 = 18

Minimum value of |x +11| - |x - 7| = -18

IMO A
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Kritisood
What is the minimum value of |x +11| - |x - 7|?

A. -18
B. -4
C. 0
D. 4
E. 18

@Experts how is the answer -18? if i take x = -11 |-11+11| - |-11-7| => - |-18| => value inside the mod is <0 therefore -18 will come out when i remove the mod -(-18) = +18
could someone correct what im doing wrong?

Critical points of |x +11| - |x - 7| are -11 and 7.

When \(x < -11\), then \(x + 11 < 0\) and \(x - 7 < 0\), which means that for this range \(|x +11| = -(x + 11)\) and \(|x - 7| = -(x - 7) = 7 - x\). So, in this range \(|x +11| - |x - 7| = -(x + 11) - (7 - x) = -18\).

When \(-11 \leq x \leq 7,\) then \(x + 11 \geq 0\) and \(x - 7 \leq 0\), which means that for this range \(|x +11| = x + 11\) and \(|x - 7| = -(x - 7) = 7 - x\). So, in this range \(|x +11| - |x - 7| = x + 11 - (7 - x) = 2x + 4\). The least value for \(2x + 7\) for given range is when \(x = -11\), so the lowest value is -18.

When \(x > 7\), then \(x + 11 > 0\) and \(x - 7 > 0\), which means that for this range \(|x +11| = x + 11\) and \(|x - 7| = x - 7\). So, in this range \(|x +11| - |x - 7| = x + 11) - (x - 7) = 18\).

Answer: A.

The graph of |x +11| - |x - 7| is given below:



Quote:
@Experts how is the answer -18? if i take x = -11 |-11+11| - |-11-7| => - |-18| => value inside the mod is <0 therefore -18 will come out when i remove the mod -(-18) = +18
could someone correct what im doing wrong?

If \(x = -11\), \(|x +11| - |x - 7| = |-11 +11| - |-11 - 7| = |0| - |-18| = 0 - 18 = -18\). (|-18| is 18)

The way you are doing: \(- |-18| = -(-(-18)) = -18\).



Attachment:
Untitled.png

Hi Bunuel
I always find your quant explanation smooth,different from conventional ones and easy to understand. You are just brilliant.

However, I couldnt understand this explanatuon clearly. Actually i have some bad issues with Absolute Values Questions with equations as well inequalities. Can you suggest some best way to master them.
Thank you.

Posted from my mobile device
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Kritisood
What is the minimum value of |x +11| - |x - 7|?

A. -18
B. -4
C. 0
D. 4
E. 18

@Experts how is the answer -18? if i take x = -11 |-11+11| - |-11-7| => - |-18| => value inside the mod is <0 therefore -18 will come out when i remove the mod -(-18) = +18
could someone correct what im doing wrong?

Case - I

\((x +11) - (x - 7) = 18\)

Case - II

\((- x - 11) - ( - x + 7 ) = -18\), Hence, IMHO (A)
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Mck2023
Bunuel
Kritisood
What is the minimum value of |x +11| - |x - 7|?

A. -18
B. -4
C. 0
D. 4
E. 18

@Experts how is the answer -18? if i take x = -11 |-11+11| - |-11-7| => - |-18| => value inside the mod is <0 therefore -18 will come out when i remove the mod -(-18) = +18
could someone correct what im doing wrong?

Critical points of |x +11| - |x - 7| are -11 and 7.

When \(x < -11\), then \(x + 11 < 0\) and \(x - 7 < 0\), which means that for this range \(|x +11| = -(x + 11)\) and \(|x - 7| = -(x - 7) = 7 - x\). So, in this range \(|x +11| - |x - 7| = -(x + 11) - (7 - x) = -18\).

When \(-11 \leq x \leq 7,\) then \(x + 11 \geq 0\) and \(x - 7 \leq 0\), which means that for this range \(|x +11| = x + 11\) and \(|x - 7| = -(x - 7) = 7 - x\). So, in this range \(|x +11| - |x - 7| = x + 11 - (7 - x) = 2x + 4\). The least value for \(2x + 7\) for given range is when \(x = -11\), so the lowest value is -18.

When \(x > 7\), then \(x + 11 > 0\) and \(x - 7 > 0\), which means that for this range \(|x +11| = x + 11\) and \(|x - 7| = x - 7\). So, in this range \(|x +11| - |x - 7| = x + 11) - (x - 7) = 18\).

Answer: A.

The graph of |x +11| - |x - 7| is given below:



Quote:
@Experts how is the answer -18? if i take x = -11 |-11+11| - |-11-7| => - |-18| => value inside the mod is <0 therefore -18 will come out when i remove the mod -(-18) = +18
could someone correct what im doing wrong?

If \(x = -11\), \(|x +11| - |x - 7| = |-11 +11| - |-11 - 7| = |0| - |-18| = 0 - 18 = -18\). (|-18| is 18)

The way you are doing: \(- |-18| = -(-(-18)) = -18\).



Attachment:
Untitled.png

Hi Bunuel
I always find your quant explanation smooth,different from conventional ones and easy to understand. You are just brilliant.

However, I couldnt understand this explanatuon clearly. Actually i have some bad issues with Absolute Values Questions with equations as well inequalities. Can you suggest some best way to master them.
Thank you.

Posted from my mobile device

9. Inequalities



10. Absolute Value




For more check Ultimate GMAT Quantitative Megathread



Hope it helps.
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if x<-11

|x+11|-|x-7| becomes -(x+11)-(-1)(x-7)=-x-11+x-7=-18
That is, the function given is -18 for all values less than -11.

Since the lowest answer is -18, then that is our answer.

Final Answer: A
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Plug in some values:

Lets use x = {-12, 1, 12}

|-12 +11| - |-12 - 7| = 1 - 19 = -18

|1 +11| - |1 - 7| = 12 - 6 = 6

|12 +11| - |12 - 7| = 23 - 5 = 18

Minimum value is -18. Answer is A.
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My approach to this was based on minimizing the entire expression.
To do that I had to minimize |x+11| and maximize |x-7|.

Since the result of a Mod can never be less than zero, I took x as -11.
Subsequently I reach the answer of -18.

I would appreciate it if someone could point out the limitation of my approach. Please let me in what scenarios I could go wrong.
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