Carcass wrote:
Which of the following is the complete set of solutions for x when |x - 3| = 6 ?
(A) {9}
(B) {-9, 9}
(C) {-3, 9}
(D) {3, 9}
(E) {-9, -3, 3}
APPROACH #1: Algebra
Key property: If |SOMETHING| = k (where k ≥ 0), then either SOMETHING = k or SOMETHING= -kSo, if |x - 3| = 6, then either x - 3 = 6 or x - 3 = -6
If x - 3 = 6, then
x = 9If x - 3 = -6, then
x = -3So, the solutions are
x = 9 and
x = -3Answer: C
APPROACH #2: Test the answer choices
Is x = 9 a solution?
Plug x =
9 into the original equation to get: |
9 - 3| = 6
Simplify: |6| = 6
Works!
Since x = 9 IS a solution, we can eliminate answer choice E, since it does not include x = 9 as a possible solution.
Is x = -9 a solution?
Plug x =
-9 into the original equation to get: |
-9 - 3| = 6
Simplify: |-12| = 6
Doesn't work.
Since x = -9 is NOT a solution, we can eliminate answer choice B, since it says x = -9 is a possible solution.
Is x = -3 a solution?
Plug x =
-3 into the original equation to get: |
-3 - 3| = 6
Simplify: |-6| = 6
Works!
Since x = -3 IS a solution, we can eliminate answer choice A and D, since they don.t include x = -3 as a possible solution.
Answer: C