140k views
0 votes
Which compound inequality is equivalent to the absolute value inequality IbI>6? –6 > b and b > 6 b > –6 or b < 6 –6 < b and b > 6 b < –6 or b > 6

1 Answer

2 votes

Answer: b < -6 or b > 6

Reason

b is some unknown number on the number line

|b| represents the distance b is from 0 on the number line.

For instance, b = -7 is 7 units away from 0 because |b| = |-7| = 7

Distance is never negative. This is why absolute value is needed.

The notation |b| > 6 means "b is more than 6 units away from zero". So either b < -6 or b > 6

If b < -6 then it includes things like b = -7, b = -8, b = -9, etc. All of which make |b| > 6 true, since all of those values are more than 6 units away from zero.

Similarly, b > 6 means things like b = 7, b = 8, b = 9, etc make |b| > 6 true.

I recommend drawing out a number line to help illustrate what is going on here.

The more general rule is |x| > k breaks down to x < -k or x > k where k > 0.

User Brian Frantz
by
8.1k points