Solve the Absolute Value Equation: |3x| = 21

Question

3x=21 \left|3x\right|=21

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the equation 3x=21 \left|3x\right|=21 , we consider the definition of absolute value:

1. The expression inside the absolute value can be either positive or negative, but its absolute value is always positive.

2. Therefore, we set up two equations to solve:

3x=21 3x = 21 and 3x=21 3x = -21

3. Solving the first equation:

3x=21 3x = 21

4. Divide both sides by 3:

x=7 x = 7

5. Solving the second equation:

3x=21 3x = -21

6. Divide both sides by 3:

x=7 x = -7

7. Therefore, the solution is:

x=7 x=-7 , x=7 x=7

Answer

x=7 x=-7 , x=7 x=7