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Absolute Value Equations

For any algebraic expression uu and any positive real number aa, the condition u=a|u| = a means that the mathematical statement can be rewritten as two equivalent equations: u=au = -a or u=au = a. This property stems from the fact that we are seeking all values whose distance from zero is aa, and both aa and a-a satisfy this requirement. A single statement for the solutions can also be written as u=±au = \pm a. Remember that an absolute value cannot be a negative number.

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Updated 2026-05-03

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