Question

| x + 3 | = -2

Answer 1

Can the absolute value of anything be negative?

Answer 2

no

Answer 3

what is i then

Answer 4

@freewilly922 knows it lol

Answer 5

No. The definition of the absolute value is that no matter what you take the absolute value of, you return the positive value. Therefore any equation that gives \[|x|=-(b^2)\] has no solution. I put the b squared term to ensure that abs(x) was equal to a negative..

Answer 6

i is the imaginary number, known as \[\sqrt{-1}\]

Answer 7

Assume that b above is a real number please:)

Answer 8

im just in algebra 1 . can you give me a simple answer

Answer 9

@freewilly922 and i think he meant to say "what is it then" not the variable I

Answer 10

this is an inequality problem

Answer 11

Ok, to make is simple, the absolute value function, machine, operation whatever you want to call it takes any number you give it and returns the positive value. If you give it a positive value it returns a positive value. If you give it a negative value, it returns a positive value.

When you are asked to backtrack an absolute value problem to find an "x" inside an absolute value you have to look at whether what was inside the absolute value was positive or negative. So \[|x| =a\to x=a, x=-a\]

Answer 12

@pleasehelpasap maybe if you read what Freewilly said...you would realize the answer.

Answer 13

@gaara438125 can you please leave me alone and stop answering my stuff and saying smart remarks.

Answer 14

@pleasehelpasap stop fishing for just answers.

Answer 15

leave me alone!!

Answer 16

thank you @freewilly922

Answer 17

@pleasehelpasap relax:)
This is one of those trick questions that quickly test to see if you understand the content of what an absolute value does. by definition it makes everything positive or zero. It can, by definition, NEVER, return a negative. If someone says that it returns a negative then something is messed up. Usually messed up means no solution. In this case it does.

Answer 18

what do you think i should but as the answer @freewilly922 ohhh and its not homework just a review question that i dont get

Answer 19

The answer is "No Solution".
The reason is: There is no x, such that you can add three take the absolute value of that sum and get a negative number.

\[|-500+3| = |-497| = 497\]
No matter how large a negative number x is, the absolute value will take the sum and make it positive.

Answer 20

thanks i understand