Chapter 1

Equations and
Inequalities
Equations
and
Inequalities

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 Absolute Value Equations and
1.8 Inequalities
• Basic Concepts
• Absolute Value Equations
• Absolute Value Inequalities
• Special Cases
• Absolute Value Models for Distance and
Tolerance

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The absolute value of a number a gives the distance
from a to 0 on a number line.
Distance Distance
is 3. is 3.
Distance Distance
is greater Distance is Distance is is greater
than 3. less than 3. less than 3. than 3.

–3 0 3

By this definition, the equation x = 3 can be solved

by finding all real numbers at a distance of 3 units
from 0. Two numbers satisfy this equation, 3 and – 3.
So the solution set is   3,3 .
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For each equation or inequality in Cases 1-3 in the table,
assume that k > 0.

In Cases 2 and 3, the strict inequality may be replaced by its

nonstrict form. Additionally, if an absolute value equation takes
the form │a │= │b │, then a and b must be equal in value or
opposite in value.
Thus, the equivalent form of │a │= │b │ is a = b or a = –b.
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 Example 1 SOLVING ABSOLUTE VALUE
EQUATIONS
Solve each equation.
(a) 5  3 x 12
Solution
For the given expression 5 – 3x to have
absolute value 12, it must represent either 12
or –12. This equation fits the form of
Case 1.

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 Example 1 SOLVING ABSOLUTE VALUE
EQUATIONS
Solve each equation.
(a) 5  3 x 12
Solution
5  3 x 12

5  3 x 12 or 5  3 x  12 Case 1

 3 x 7 or  3 x  17 Subtract 5.

7 17
x  or x Divide by
3 3 – 3.

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 Example 1 SOLVING ABSOLUTE VALUE
EQUATIONS
Solve each equation.
(a) 5  3 x 12
Solution
7 17
x  or x
3 3
Check the solutions by substituting them in
the original absolute value equation. The
solution set is 7 17
 ,
3 3 . 
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 Example 1 SOLVING ABSOLUTE VALUE
EQUATIONS
Solve each equation.
(b) 4 x  3  x  6
Solution 4x  3  x  6
4 x  3  x  6 or 4 x  3  ( x  6)
3 x 9 or 4 x  3  x  6
x 3 or 5 x  3
3
x 
5
3
The solution set is  ,3 .
5  
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 Example 2 SOLVING ABSOLUTE VALUE
INEQUALITIES (Cases 2 and 3)
Solve each inequality.
(a) 2 x  1  7
Solution This inequality fits Case 2.
2x  1  7
 7  2x  1  7 Case 2

 8  2x  6 Subtract 1 from each part.

 4 x 3 Divide each part by 2.

The final inequality gives the solution set (– 4, 3).

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 Example 2 SOLVING ABSOLUTE VALUE
INEQUALITIES (Cases 2 and 3)
Solve each inequality.
(b) 2 x  1  7
Solution This inequality fits Case 3.
2x  1  7
2x  1   7 or 2x  1  7 Case 3
Subtract 1 from
2x   8 or 2x  6 each side.
x 4 or x  3 Divide each part by 2.
The solution set is (  ,  4)  (3, ).
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 Example 3 SOLVING AN ABSOLUTE VALUE
INEQUALITY (Case 3)

Solve 2  7 x  1  4.
Solution
2  7x  1  4
2  7x  5 Add 1 to each side.
2  7 x   5 or 2  7 x  5 Case 3

 7 x   7 or  7x  3 Subtract 2.
3 Divide by – 7. Reverse
x  1 or x  the direction of each
7 inequality.
 3
The solution set is  ,   1, .
 7
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 Example 4 SOLVING SPECIAL CASES

Solve each equation or inequality.

(a) 2  5 x  4
Solution Since the absolute value of a
number is always nonnegative, the
inequality is always true. The solution set
includes all real numbers, written (–∞,∞).
(b) 4 x  7   3
Solution There is no number whose
absolute value is less than – 3 (or less than
any negative number). The solution set is 0 .
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 Example 4 SOLVING SPECIAL CASES

Solve each equation or inequality.

(c) 5 x  15 0
Solution The absolute value of a number
will be 0 only if that number is 0. Therefore,

5 x  15 0 is equivalent to 5 x  15 0

which has solution set {– 3}. Check by

substituting into the original equation.

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 Example 5 USING ABSOLUTE VALUE
INEQUALTIES WITH DISTANCES
Write each statement using an absolute
value inequality.
(a) k is no less than 5 units from 8.
Solution
Since the distance from k to 8, written
k – 8 or 8 – k, is no less than 5, the
distance is greater than or equal to 5. This can
be written as
k  8 5, or equivalently 8  k 5.

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 Example 5 USING ABSOLUTE VALUE
INEQUALTIES WITH DISTANCES
Write each statement using an absolute
value inequality.
(b) n is within 0.001 unit of 6.
Solution
This statement indicates that the distance
between n and 6 is less than 0.001.

n  6  0.001 or, equivalently 6  n  0.001

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 Example 6 USING ABSOLUTE VALUE TO
MODEL TOLERANCE
In quality control situations, such as filling bottles
on an assembly line, we often wish to keep the
difference between two quantities within some
predetermined amount, called the tolerance.
Suppose y = 2x + 1 and we want y to be within
0.01 unit of 4. For what values of x will this be
true?
Write an absolute
Solution y  4  0.01 value inequality.
2 x  1  4  0.01 Substitute 2x + 1 for y.

2 x  3  0.01 Combine like terms.

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 Example 6 USING ABSOLUTE VALUE TO
MODEL TOLERANCE
Suppose y = 2x + 1 and we want y to be within
0.01 unit of 4. For what values of x will this be
true?
Solution
 0.01  2 x  3  0.01 Case 2
2.99  2 x  3.01 Add 3 to each part.
1.495  x  1.505 Divide each part by 2.

Reversing these steps shows that keeping x in

the interval (1.495,1.505) ensures that the
difference between y and 4 is within 0.01 unit.
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