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Asked: How many real solutions has the following equation got?

\(\frac{|2x - 3|}{5} - \frac{|x + 1|}{5} = x - 2\)

|2x-3| - |x+1| = 5(x-2) = 5x - 10

Case 1: x>=1.5
2x - 3 - (x+1) = 5x - 10
4x = 6
x = 1.5

Case 2: -1 < x < 1.5
3 - 2x - (x+1) = 5x - 10
8x = 12
x = 1.5

Case 3: x <=-1
3-2x - (-x-1) = 5x - 10
6x = 14
x = 7/3 = 2 1/3; Not feasible since x<=-1

x = 1.5 is the only real solution

IMO B
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rkhosla
It's a linear equation so x would have one valid value.


Is this explanation enough or something is a miss?

Posted from my mobile device


No, that’s not a correct observation as you are dealing with Absolute values.

A very simple example
|x|=2 will give two values of x: 2 and -2
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chetan2u

Bunuel
How many real solutions has the following equation got?

\(\frac{|2x - 3|}{5} - \frac{|x + 1|}{5} = x - 2\)

A. None
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. Infinite


 


Critical points

(I) When x<-1, both 2x-3 and x+1 are negative
\(\frac{|2x - 3|}{5} - \frac{|x + 1|}{5} = x - 2\)
\(\frac{3-2x }{5} - \frac{-(x + 1)}{5} = x - 2\)
\(3-2x+x+1=5x-10……..6x=14……x=14/6\)….Not a valid solution as x was taken to be less than -1.

(II) When \(-1\leq x \leq \frac{3}{2}\), 2x-3 is negative while x+1 is positive.
\(\frac{|2x - 3|}{5} - \frac{|x + 1|}{5} = x - 2\)
\(\frac{3-2x }{5} - \frac{x + 1}{5} = x - 2\)
\(3-2x-x-1=5x-10……..8x=12……x=3/2\)….a valid solution.

(I) When x>3/2, both 2x-3 and x+1 are positive.
\(\frac{|2x - 3|}{5} - \frac{|x + 1|}{5} = x - 2\)
\(\frac{2x-3 }{5} - \frac{(x + 1)}{5} = x - 2\)
\(2x-3-x-1=5x-10……..4x=6……x=3/2\)….Not a valid solution as x was taken to be greater than 3/2.


Only ONE valid solution- 3/2


B
­chetan2u Kinshook Bunuel sorry if this is a noob question, but could any of you please help me understand why we chose those specific values of x (ie -1, 1.5) and what the greater than/less than signs mean there?

The strategy that I'd learned for this kind of question was to just try different values so to first: take 2x-3 and x+1 as it is, then flip the signs so -(2x-3) and -(x+1) and then repeat until you get multiple solutions and finally, plug in the solutions into the equation and whichever ones work with the initial equation; those are the "real" solutions.

So I'm unfamiliar with this method but it seems to be quicker and flow more smoothly. If you could please clarify in a little more detail, thank you!
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helpmegmat
The points are called critical points.
Now |x-3|+|x| =5 has |x-3| and |x| as positive but x-3 and x themselves could be negative. Because they are between two lines ||, that is modulus, only positive value is taken.

x-3 and x could be positive/negative at different ranges.
x=2 would make x-3 negative while x as positive. Thus we check the solutions for each range.
Check Absolute modulus in my signature. Should help you.
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