Question

Why can -4 be an answer for |x-24|=7x

Answer 1

I don't know either ...

L.H.S = | -4 - 24| = 28

R.H.S = 7 * -4 = -28

L.H.S != R.H.S

I need help too ...

Answer 2

An absolute value cannot be equal to a negative value.

|-4 - 24 |= |-28| = 28
-4 * 7 = -28

28 \(\neq\) -28

Answer 3

"Why can -4 be an answer for |x-24|=7x"

My guess is there's a typo there...

Answer 4

|x - 24| = 7x

We have two possibility answers :
(x - 24) = 7x
OR
-(x - 24) = 7x

For (x - 24) = 7x :
x - 24 = 7x
-24 = 7x - x
-24 = 6x
x = -24/6
x = -4 --------> This is the answer of your question

But remember every time you done finding variables in an equation, you should check it on original equation
|x - 24| = 7x
|-4 - 24| = 7(-4)
|-28| = -28
28 = -28 --> This is not correct

So -4 is not the answer for |x-24|=7x

Answer 5

I think your question must be:
Why can't -4 be an answer for |x-24|=7x ?

Answer 6

I agree with Kevin's response (above), and that of TheSmartOne. The output of the absolute value function can NOT be negative; it must be ZERO or POSITIVE.