Absolute value bars act exactly like parentheses, i.e. you evaluate what is inside the absolute value bars before evaluating the rest of the expression.
In the expression you submitted:
|13 - 2t| = 5 => 13 - 2t = ±5 and t = 9 or t = 4
Paul M.
tutor
Look at the result: if t = 9, the expression in the absolute value bars is -5 & if t = 4 that expression is 5. What absolute value does is to consider only the magnitude & ignore the sign. Therefore, to solve an equation involving an absolute value you must consider both + & - values. I hope that helps, but if not, please ask additional questions.
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07/10/18
Mark M.
07/10/18