So, remember that absolute value is the distance from zero. We measure distance with positive numbers. Two and negative two or both two from zero, so the absolute value of both is two.
In other words, what's inside the | can be positive or negative and end up with the same result.
x + 4 = 3x
4 = 2x
x = 2
-(x + 4) = 3x
- x - 4 = 3x
-4 = 4x
x = -1
Let's check.
|2 + 4| = 3(2)
|6| = 6
6 = 6
0 = 0
True.
|-1 + 4| = 3(-1)
|-1 + 4| = -3
|-3| = -3
Well, that's not true, so our answer is x = 2.
