Solve |4x - 5| ≤ 2x + 9: Absolute Value Inequality Challenge

Absolute Value Inequalities with Split Cases

Given:

4x52x+9 \left|4x - 5\right| \leq 2x + 9

Which of the following statements is necessarily true?

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Step-by-step written solution

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1

Understand the problem

Given:

4x52x+9 \left|4x - 5\right| \leq 2x + 9

Which of the following statements is necessarily true?

2

Step-by-step solution

Let's solve the inequality: 4x52x+9 \left|4x - 5\right| \leq 2x + 9 .

This splits into two cases:

(1) 4x52x+9 4x - 5 \leq 2x + 9 and (2) 4x5(2x+9) 4x - 5 \geq -(2x + 9) .

For inequality (1):

4x52x+9 4x - 5 \leq 2x + 9

Subtract 2x 2x from both sides:

2x59 2x - 5 \leq 9

Add 5 to both sides:

2x14 2x \leq 14

Divide both sides by 2:

x7 x \leq 7

For inequality (2):

4x52x9 4x - 5 \geq -2x - 9

Add 2x 2x to both sides:

6x59 6x - 5 \geq -9

Add 5 to both sides:

6x4 6x \geq -4

Divide both sides by 6:

x23 x \geq -\frac{2}{3}

Combining both solutions gives us 23x7 -\frac{2}{3} \leq x \leq 7 .

3

Final Answer

23x7 -\frac{2}{3} \leq x \leq 7

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Rule: Split |expression| ≤ value into two separate inequality cases
  • Technique: Case 1: 4x - 5 ≤ 2x + 9, Case 2: 4x - 5 ≥ -(2x + 9)
  • Check: Test x = 0: |4(0) - 5| = 5 ≤ 2(0) + 9 = 9 ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Forgetting to consider both positive and negative cases
    Don't solve only 4x - 5 ≤ 2x + 9 = wrong incomplete solution! Absolute value inequalities always require two cases because the expression inside can be positive or negative. Always solve both cases and find their intersection.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Given:

\( \left|2x-1\right|>-10 \)

Which of the following statements is necessarily true?

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I need to split the absolute value into two cases?

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Because the expression 4x - 5 inside the absolute value can be either positive or negative! When it's positive, |4x - 5| = 4x - 5. When it's negative, |4x - 5| = -(4x - 5). Both cases must be satisfied simultaneously.

How do I know which case applies to which values of x?

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You don't need to worry about that! Just solve both cases separately, then find where they overlap. The final answer is the intersection of both solutions.

What does it mean to combine the solutions?

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Take the intersection (overlap) of both cases. From Case 1: x7 x \leq 7 . From Case 2: x23 x \geq -\frac{2}{3} . Combined: 23x7 -\frac{2}{3} \leq x \leq 7 .

Can I test my answer by plugging in values?

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Absolutely! Try x = 0: 4(0)5=5 |4(0) - 5| = 5 and 2(0)+9=9 2(0) + 9 = 9 . Since 5 ≤ 9, x = 0 works! Try values inside and outside your solution interval.

What if the right side of the inequality is negative?

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If the right side is negative, then the inequality has no solution! Absolute values are always non-negative, so |expression| can never be less than a negative number.

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