How do you solve abs(x/7)=3?

1 Answer
Jun 12, 2017

x=+-21

Explanation:

Solve:

abs(x/7)=3

absa=+-a There are two equations to solve: one is positive, the other is negative.

Positive equation.

x/7=3

Multiply both sides by 7.

color(red)cancel(color(black)(7))xx x/color(red)cancel(color(black)(7))=3xx7

x=21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Negative equation.

-x/7=3

Multiply both sides by 7.

-x=3xx7

-x=21

Divide both sides by -1.

(color(red)cancel(color(black)(-))x)/(color(red)cancel(color(black)(-))1)=21/(-1)

x=-21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Solution:

x=+-21