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absolutevalues

The document provides an overview of the absolute value function, defining it mathematically and geometrically. It includes examples of graphing absolute value functions and solving equations involving absolute values. The document is a resource from the Mathematics Learning Centre at the University of Sydney, aimed at helping students understand the concept of absolute values.

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8 views4 pages

absolutevalues

The document provides an overview of the absolute value function, defining it mathematically and geometrically. It includes examples of graphing absolute value functions and solving equations involving absolute values. The document is a resource from the Mathematics Learning Centre at the University of Sydney, aimed at helping students understand the concept of absolute values.

Uploaded by

mokauchanz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mathematics Learning Centre

Absolute values

Jackie Nicholas
Jacquie Hargreaves
Janet Hunter

2006
c University of Sydney
Mathematics Learning Centre, University of Sydney 1

1 The absolute value function


Before we define the absolute value function we will review the definition of the absolute
value of a number.
The Absolute value of a number x is written |x| and is defined as

|x| = x if x ≥ 0 or |x| = −x if x < 0.

That is, |4| = 4 since 4 is positive, but | − 2| = 2 since −2 is negative.


We can also think of |x| geometrically as the distance of x from 0 on the number line.

|–2|=2 |4|=4

–2 0 4

More generally, |x − a| can be thought of as the distance of x from a on the numberline.

| a – x | = |x – a |
a x

Note that |a − x| = |x − a|.

The absolute value function is written as y = |x|.


We define this function as
⎧
⎪
⎨ +x if x ≥ 0
y=⎪
⎩ −x if x < 0

From this definition we can graph the function by taking each part separately. The graph
of y = |x| is given below.

y
2

y = –x x<0 1 y=x x≥0

x
–2 –1 0 1 2

The graph of y = |x|.


Mathematics Learning Centre, University of Sydney 2

Example

Sketch the graph of y = |x − 2|.

Solution

For y = |x − 2| we have

⎧
⎪
⎨ +(x − 2) when x − 2 ≥ 0 or x≥2
y=
⎪
⎩ −(x − 2) when x − 2 < 0 or x<2

That is,

⎧
⎪
⎨ x−2 for x ≥ 2
y=
⎪
⎩ −x + 2 for x < 2

Hence we can draw the graph in two parts.

y
2

1
y = –x + 2 x < 2 y=x–2 x≥2

x
0 1 2 3 4

The graph of y = |x − 2|.

We could have sketched this graph by first of all sketching the graph of y = x − 2 and
then reflecting the negative part in the x-axis.

Example

Find the values of x for which |x + 3| = 6.


Mathematics Learning Centre, University of Sydney 3

Solution

First of all note that


⎧
⎪
⎨ +(x + 3) when x + 3 ≥ 0 or x ≥ −3
|x + 3| =
⎪
⎩ −(x + 3) when x + 3 < 0 or x < −3.

Taking each of these separately.


When x ≤ −3, |x + 3| = −x − 3 = 6, so x = −9.
When x ≥ −3, |x + 3| = x + 3 = 6, so x = 3.
Therefore |x + 3| = 6 when x = −9 or x = 3. You can check this by substitution.

Example

For what values of x is |x − 4| = |2x − 1|.

Solution

We know that the values x = 12 and x = 4 are important x values here, so we will use
them to divide the x axis into three sections and will consider them in turn.
Case 1. For x < 12 , |x − 4| = −(x − 4) = |2x − 1| = −(2x − 1), so −x + 4 = −2x + 1.
Therefore, x = −3.
Case 2. For 1
2
≤ x < 4, |x − 4| = −(x − 4) = |2x − 1| = 2x − 1, so −x + 4 = 2x − 1.
Therefore, x = 53 .
Case 3. For x ≥ 4, |x − 4| = x − 4 = |2x − 1| = 2x − 1, so x − 4 = 2x − 1.
Therefore, x = −3, but this does not satisfy the assumption x ≥ 4 so this case does not
give us a solution.
The solutions are x = −3 and x = 53 .

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