Which of the following equations can you solve? Explain how you can determine which can be solved.
|x-3|=7 or |x-3|=-7

What does it mean which one can you solve? Can't you be able to solve both?

Question

Which of the following equations can you solve? Explain how you can determine which can be solved.
|x-3|=7 or |x-3|=-7

What does it mean which one can you solve? Can't you be able to solve both?

freckles · Answer

well distance cannot equal a negative number

freckles · Answer

so that leaves only one equation you have listed that can be solved

anonymous · Answer

I have two equations though. What about distance?

freckles · Answer

|x| represents the distance that x is from 0

freckles · Answer

The absolute value of something can either give you a positive or 0 output
|something| does not ever equal a negative

freckles · Answer

So this is only leaves you with one equation to solve

freckles · Answer

The equation has no solution as it is not true that a magnitude can be negative.

freckles · Answer

example
|x|=5 has two solutions
|x|=-5 has no solutions