Solve absolute value equation :

The correct answer is: Hence, we get two values of x satisfying the given equation, x=2,-18

Step by step solution:
The given equation is

Using the definition of absolute value,

We get two possibilities,

For x + 8<0,

Simplifying, we get

-2x-16=20
Adding 16 both sides, we have

-2x=20+16=36
Dividing throughout by -2, we get

x = -18

For x + 8 ≥ 0,

Simplifying, we get

2x +16 = 20
Subtracting 16 both sides, we get

2x = 20-16 = 4
Dividing by 2 throughout, we get

x = 2
Hence, we get two values of x satisfying the given equation,

x = 2, -18

Absolute value of a variable has many uses in mathematics. Geometrically, the absolute value of a number may be considered as 
its distance from zero regardless of its direction. The symbol |.| is pronounced as ‘modulus’. We read |x| as ‘modulus of x’ or ‘mod x’.