Solve the Absolute Value Equation: |x + 1| = 5

To solve the absolute value equation $|x + 1| = 5$, we follow these steps:

• Step 1: Understand that the equation $|x + 1| = 5$ means the expression inside the absolute value, $x + 1$, is equal to 5 or -5.
• Step 2: Set up two separate equations:
• Equation 1: $x + 1 = 5$
• Equation 2: $x + 1 = -5$
• Step 3: Solve each equation individually.
• For Equation 1: Subtract 1 from both sides to get $x = 5 - 1 = 4$.
• For Equation 2: Subtract 1 from both sides to get $x = -5 - 1 = -6$.

Thus, the solutions to the equation $|x + 1| = 5$ are $x = 4$ and $x = -6$.

Therefore, the correct answer, considering the choices provided, is Answer a + b, which corresponds to choices 1 and 2.