Answer: x=2, or x=-18
Explanation:
Since anything in an absolute value can be positive or negative (since in an absolute value, everything has to be positive since absolute value measures distance and distance cannot be a negative), so |x+8| can become either (x+8) or [-(x+8)].
Our first equation: (after I've removed absolute value)
2(x+8)=20
2x+16=20
2x=4
x=2
And our second equation: (after I've removed absolute value):
-2(x+8)=20
-2x-16=20
-2x=36
x=-18