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Updated on: 01 Jun 2021, 03:37
Originally posted by guerrero25 on 10 Mar 2013, 12:55.
Last edited by Bunuel on 01 Jun 2021, 03:37, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by Bunuel on 01 Jun 2021, 03:37, edited 1 time in total.
Edited the question.
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A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
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|x+3| – |4-x| = |8+x| How many solutions will this equation have?
A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. 4
A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3
E. 4
I am trying to understand the Modules questions - I took this from GMAT club's quant book .
Q. |x+3| - |4-x| = |8+x|. How many solutions does the equation have?
I could not follow why the equal signs are considered ? e.g -8 <= x < -3 , -3 <= x < 4, x >=4 ..Appreciate if someone can explain the logic?
Solution: There are 3 key points here: -8, -3, 4. So we have 4 conditions:
a) x < -8. -(x+3) - (4-x) = -(8+x) --> x = -1. We reject the solution because our condition is not satisfied (-1 is not less than -8)
b) -8 <= x < -3. -(x+3) - (4-x) = (8+x) --> x = -15. We reject the solution because our condition is not satisfied (-15 is not within (-8,-3) interval.)
c) -3 <= x < 4 (x+3) - (4-x) = (8+x) --> x = 9. We reject the solution because our condition is not satisfied (-15 is not within (-3,4) interval.)
d) x >=4. (x+3) + (4-x) = (8+x) --> x = -1. We reject the solution because our condition is not satisfied (-1 is not more than 4)
thanks !
Q. |x+3| - |4-x| = |8+x|. How many solutions does the equation have?
I could not follow why the equal signs are considered ? e.g -8 <= x < -3 , -3 <= x < 4, x >=4 ..Appreciate if someone can explain the logic?
Solution: There are 3 key points here: -8, -3, 4. So we have 4 conditions:
a) x < -8. -(x+3) - (4-x) = -(8+x) --> x = -1. We reject the solution because our condition is not satisfied (-1 is not less than -8)
b) -8 <= x < -3. -(x+3) - (4-x) = (8+x) --> x = -15. We reject the solution because our condition is not satisfied (-15 is not within (-8,-3) interval.)
c) -3 <= x < 4 (x+3) - (4-x) = (8+x) --> x = 9. We reject the solution because our condition is not satisfied (-15 is not within (-3,4) interval.)
d) x >=4. (x+3) + (4-x) = (8+x) --> x = -1. We reject the solution because our condition is not satisfied (-1 is not more than 4)
thanks !
30 Jun 2013, 11:07
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guerrero25
Responding to pm.
Absolute value properties:
When \(x\leq{0}\) then \(|x|=-x\), or more generally when \(some \ expression\leq{0}\) then \(|some \ expression|={-(some \ expression)}\). For example: \(|-5|=5=-(-5)\);
When \(x\geq{0}\) then \(|x|=x\), or more generally when \(some \ expression\geq{0}\) then \(|some \ expression|={some \ expression}\). For example: \(|5|=5\).
STEP BY STEP SOLUTION:
We have three transition points for \(|x+3| - |4-x| = |8+x|\): -8, -3, and 4 (transition point is the value of x for which an expression in the modulus equals to zero). Thus we have four ranges to check:
1. \(x<-8\);
2. \(-8\leq{x}\leq{-3}\);
3. \(-3<x<4\)
4. \(x\geq{4}\)
Note that it does not matter in which range(s) you include the transition points with "=" sign as long you include them.
1. When \(x<-8\), then \(x+3\) is negative, \(4-x\) is positive and \(8+x\) is negative. Thus \(|x+3|=-(x+3)\), \(|4-x|=4-x\) and \(|8+x|=-(8+x)\).
Therefore for this range \(|x+3| - |4-x| = |8+x|\): transforms to \(-(x+3) - (4-x) =-(8+x)\): --> \(x=-1\). This solution is NOT OK, since \(x=-1\) is NOT in the range we consider (\(x<-8\)).
2. When \(-8\leq{x}\leq{-3}\), then \(x+3\) is negative, \(4-x\) is positive and \(8+x\) is positive. Thus \(|x+3|=-(x+3)\), \(|4-x|=4-x\) and \(|8+x|=8+x\).
Therefore for this range \(|x+3| - |4-x| = |8+x|\): transforms to \(-(x+3) - (4-x) =8+x\): --> \(x=-15\). This solution is NOT OK, since \(x=-15\) is NOT in the range we consider (\(-8\leq{x}\leq{-3}\)).
3. When \(-3<x<4\), then \(x+3\) is positive, \(4-x\) is positive and \(8+x\) is positive. Thus \(|x+3|=x+3\), \(|4-x|=4-x\) and \(|8+x|=8+x\).
Therefore for this range \(|x+3| - |4-x| = |8+x|\): transforms to \(x+3 - (4-x) =8+x\): --> \(x=9\). This solution is NOT OK, since \(x=9\) is NOT in the range we consider (\(-3<x<4\)).
4. When \(x\geq{4}\), then \(x+3\) is positive, \(4-x\) is negative and \(8+x\) is positive. Thus \(|x+3|=x+3\), \(|4-x|=-(4-x)=x-4\) and \(|8+x|=8+x\).
Therefore for this range \(|x+3| - |4-x| = |8+x|\): transforms to \(x+3 - (x-4) =8+x\): --> \(x=-1\). This solution is NOT OK, since \(x=-1\) is NOT in the range we consider (\(x\geq{4}\)).
Thus no value of x satisfies \(|x+3| - |4-x| = |8+x|\).
Answer: A.
Hope it's clear.
guerrero25
|x| = x when x >= 0 (x is either positive or 0)
|x| = -x when x < 0 (note here that you can put the equal to sign here as well x <= 0 because if x = 0,
|0| = 0 = -0 (all are the same)
So the '=' sign can be put with x > 0 or with x < 0. We usually put it with 'x > 0' for consistency.
When we are considering ranges, say,
x < -8 ------ x is less than -8
-8 <= x < -3 ------- x is greater than or equal to -8 but less than -3
-3 <= x < 4 ------- x is greater than or equal to -3 but less than 4
x >=4 -------- x is greater than or equal to 4
We need to include the transition points (-8, -3, 4) somewhere so we include them with greater than sign.
Mind you, we could have taken the ranges as
x <= -8
-8 < x <= -3
-3 < x <= 4
x > 4
The only point is that we don't include the transition points twice.
Hope the role of '=' sign is clear.
Check out this video on Absolute Values: https://youtu.be/oqVfKQBcnrs
