Week 1

Topic 3. Absolute Values (Stewart, pp. A6 – A9)

1 Definition of absolute values

In two equivalent ways, we can define the absolute value. Depending on application, we can use
either of the definitions

Definition 1 (Geometric). The absolute value of a number a, indicated by |a, is the distance
between a and 0 on the number line.
|b|
|a|

a 0 b

Definition 2 (Algebraic). The absolute value of a number a could also be defined as


a as a ≥ 0
|a| =
−a as a < 0

Remark.
• |a| ≥ 0, since distances are always non-negative.
• |x − y| represents the distance between numbers x and y. Why?
Example 3.
(a) |3| = 3, since 3 > 0 (b) | − 4| = −(−4) = 4, since −4 < 0
(d) − 21 = − − 12 = 12


(c) |0| = 0
Note, the absolute value removes the minus signs, if any!
Example 4. Write the following expression without absolute value signs
1
2 − |π − 4| + |2π − 7| .

Solution: First evaluate the inner absolute values:

|π − 4| = −(π − 4) = 4 − π since 4 > π

|2π − 7| = −(2π − 7) = 7 − 2π since 7 > 2π

We have
1 1
2 − |π − 4| + |2π − 7| = 2 − (4 − π) + (7 − 2π)
7
= 2 −π
7 7
= 2 −π since 2 >π

1
2 Properties of absolute values
Here are two useful theorems for manipulating and solving equations with absolute values.

Theorem 5. For any real numbers a and b, and integer n, we have

a |a|
• |a · b| = |a| · |b| • = , provided b ̸= • |an | = |a|n
b |b|
0
√
• a2 = |a| • |a − b| = |b − a|

Proof idea: For the first point, suppose a ≥ 0 and b ≥ 0. Then ab ≥ 0, and thus

|a · b| = a · b = |a| · |b|

Suppose a ≥ 0 and b < 0. Then ab < 0, and thus

|a · b| = −ab = a · (−b) = |a| · |b|

By considering the cases of a < 0 and b ≥ 0, and a < 0 and b < 0, will complete the proof of the
first point.
Similarly, we could prove the other points.

Theorem 6 (Absolute values and inequalities). Suppose a > 0. Then

• |x| = a ⇐⇒ x=a or x = −a
• |x| < a ⇐⇒ −a < x < a ⇐⇒ x ∈ (−a, a)
• |x| > a ⇐⇒ x < −a or a < x ⇐⇒ x ∈ (−∞, −a) ∪ (a, ∞)

Proof: Consider the number line

−a 0 a

According to the geometric definition, if |x| = a, then x has to be precisely a units away from 0.
The only such number is a and −a. Thus

|x| = a ⇐⇒ x = −a or x = a

The inequality |x| < a means that x must be less than a units away from 0. So geometrically, we
can notice that |x| < a is equivalent to −a < x < a.
Similarly, we can notice geometrically, that

|x| > a ⇐⇒ x < −a or x>a

2
 x−3
Example 7. Find the solution set of = 11.
1 − 2x

Solution: According to Theorem 6, we have

x−3 x−3 x−3

= 11 ⇐⇒ = 11 or = −11
1 − 2x 1 − 2x 1 − 2x

We deal with these equations separately.

x−3 x−3
= 11 = −11
1 − 2x 1 − 2x
=⇒ x − 3 = 11 − 22x =⇒ x − 3 = −11 + 22x
14 8
=⇒ x= =⇒ x=
23 21
 8 14
Thus the solution set is 21 , 23

Example 8. Find the solution set of

7 < |2x + 7| ≤ 20.

Solution: We rather consider two smaller inequalities:

7 < |2x + 7| and |2x + 7| ≤ 20.

Apply the properties of absolute values:

7 < |2x + 7| ⇐⇒ 2x + 7 > 7 or 2x + 7 < −7

⇐⇒ x>0 or x < −7

Thus the solution set of the first inequality is (−∞, −7) ∪ (0, ∞).
For the second inequality:

|2x + 7| ≤ 20 ⇐⇒ −20 ≤ 2x + 7 ≤ 20
⇐⇒ − 27
2 ≤x≤
13
2

− 27 13
 
The solution set of the second inequality is 2 , 2

The intersection then gives is the solution set of the initial inequality:

− 27 −7 0 13
2 2

From the sketch, we see that

(−∞, −7) ∪ (0, ∞) ∩ − 27 13

   27
13

2 , 2 = − 2 , −7 ∪ 0, 2

3
Example 9. Solve the inequality: |2x − 1| < x + 2.

Solution: There are quicker tricks to solve this inequality, but here we are going to use a more
general approach. By definition

2x − 1 as 2x − 1 ≥ 0
|2x − 1| =
−(2x − 1) as 2x − 1 < 0
2x − 1 as x ≥ 21

= .
1 − 2x as x < 12

1
Case 1: x ≥ 2

|2x − 1| = 2x − 1 < x + 2 ⇐⇒ x < 3

The solution set in this case: 12 , ∞ ∩ (−∞, 3) = 21 , 3




1 1
Note: Since we assumed
1
that x ≥ 2 , our solutions must be greater than 2 . This is the reason why
we intersect with 2 , ∞ .
1
Case 2: x < 2

|2x − 1| = 1 − 2x < x + 2 ⇐⇒ − 31 < x

Solution set in this case: −∞, 12 ∩ − 13 , ∞ = − 13 , 12

Solution set of the initial problem is then the union of the solution sets of the cases:
1
1 1

1


2 , 3 ∪ − ,
3 2 = − 3 , 3

Example 10. Solve the inequality: |x − 3| + |x + 2| < 11

Solution: We solve this, by considering cases.

 
x − 3 as x ≥ 3 x+2 as x ≥ −2
|x − 3| = |x + 2| =
3 − x as x < 3 −x − 2 as x < −2

Split the number line based on 3 and −2:

Interval |x − 3| |x + 2| |x − 3| + |x + 2|
x < −2 3 − x −x − 2 1 − 2x
−2 ≤ x < 3 3 − x x+2 5
3≤x x−3 x+2 2x − 1

Case 1: x < −2

|x − 3| + |x + 2| = 1 − 2x < 11 =⇒ −5 < x

Solution set: (−∞, −2) ∩ (−5, ∞) = (−5, −2)

4
Case 2: −2 ≤ x < 3

|x − 3| + |x + 2| = 5 < 11

Solution set: [−2, 3)

Case 3: 3 ≤ x

|x − 3| + |x + 2| = 2x − 1 < 11 =⇒ x < 6

Solution set: [3, ∞) ∩ (−∞, 6) = [3, 6)

Everything put together, we get a solution set of

(−5, −2) ∪ [−2, 3) ∪ [3, 6) = (−5, 6)

3 Triangle Inequality
Theorem 11 (Triangle Inequality). For any two real numbers a and b,

|a + b| ≤ |a| + |b|

Proof: According to our properties of absolute values,

−|a| ≤ a ≤ |a| h i
|a| ≤ |a| =⇒ −|a| ≤ a ≤ |a|
−|b| ≤ b ≤ |b|

Take the sum of these two inequalities

− |a| + |b| ≤ a + b ≤ |a| + |b|

Again, according to our properties of absolute values,

|a + b| ≤ |a| + |b|

Example 12. For three numbers x, y and z, suppose that the distance between x and y is 3 units,
and the distance between y and z is 2 units. Is it possible for x and z to be 6 units apart?

Solution: Given

|x − y| = 3 and |y − z| = 2

The distance between x and z is |x − z|. By the Triangle Inequality

|x − z| = |(x − y) + (y − z)| ≤ |x − y| + |y − z| = 3 + 2 = 5, that is |x − z| ≤ 5

Thus the distance between x and z cannot be more than 5 units. Thus it is impossible that the
distance between x and z is 6 units.

5
Example 13. Show that |x + y| < 6 if

|4 − 2x| < 6 and |3y + 6| < 9

Solution: With our properties of absolute values and inequalities, we have

|4 − 2x| < 6 =⇒ 2|2 − x| < 6 =⇒ |2 − x| = |x − 2| < 3

|3y + 6| < 9 =⇒ 3|y + 2| < 9 =⇒ |y + 2| < 3

By the Triangle Inequality

|x + y| = |(x − 2) + (y + 2)| ≤ |x − 2| + |y + 2| < 3 + 3 = 6, that is |x + y| < 6

4 Further exercises
Exercise 14. Solve for x in
(a) |2x − 1| − |x + 5| = 3 (b) |2x − 3| − |x + 1| < 12 x + 2
(c) |x − 1| − |x − 3| ≥ 5

Answer:
(a) x ∈ − 73 , 9

(b) x ∈ (0, 12) (c) No solutions

Exercise 15. We already know that for a real number a > 0, |x| < a represents the interval with
length 2a and midpoint 0. For real numbers a > 0 and d, what does |x − d| < a represent?