How do you solve #abs(3x+8)=20#?

1 Answer
Aug 1, 2016

There are 2 solutions.

#x= -28/3 and x=4#

Explanation:

Write as #3x+8=|+-20|# and solve

Suppose #3x+8=20# then #x=12/3 = 4#

Suppose #3x+8=-20# then #x=-28/3#

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check

#|3(-28/3)+8|" " =" " |-28+8|" " =" "+20#

#|color(white)(.)3(4)+8color(white)(.)|" "=" "|color(white)(.)12+8color(white)(.)|" "=" "+20#