|x|+5=18 5 or - 5 13 or - 13 18 or - 18 23 or - 23

Mathematics · High School · Tue Nov 03 2020

Answered on

Given the equation:

|x| + 5 = 18

|| denotes an absolute value, which means the value of any number will be equal to its positive value, for example; if we are asked to find the absolute value of -3, denoted as | -3 |, the answer will be 3.

Solution:

In order to solve for the value of x. we transpose 5 on the other side of the equation, note that when transposing a number the sign changes.

|x| + 5 = 18

|x|  = 18 - 5

|x| = 13

The value of x can either be 13 or -13 since, it is enclosed by an absolute value sign, therefore the answer will always be 13. 

|13| = 13

|-13| = 13

Final answer: x is equal to 13 or -13