Question

Difficulty: MediumLinear Inequalities and Absolute Value

What is the sum of all integer values of xx that satisfy both 2x59|2x - 5| \le 9 and x+24|x + 2| \ge 4?

Answer: 27

Answer

The sum of all integer values of xx that satisfy both inequalities is 27.
First, solving 2x59|2x - 5| \le 9 yields 92x59    42x14    2x7-9 \le 2x - 5 \le 9 \implies -4 \le 2x \le 14 \implies -2 \le x \le 7. Second, solving x+24|x + 2| \ge 4 yields x+24    x2x + 2 \ge 4 \implies x \ge 2 or x+24    x6x + 2 \le -4 \implies x \le -6. Taking the intersection of 2x7-2 \le x \le 7 and (x2 or x6)(x \ge 2 \text{ or } x \le -6) gives the solution set 2x72 \le x \le 7. The integer values satisfying this condition are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Summing these integers gives 2+3+4+5+6+7=272 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 27.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Solve the inequality 2x59|2x - 5| \le 9
2x7-2 \le x \le 7
An inequality of the form ua|u| \le a (where a0a \ge 0) expands to aua-a \le u \le a. Adding 5 gives 42x14-4 \le 2x \le 14, and dividing by 2 yields 2x7-2 \le x \le 7.
2
Solve the inequality x+24|x + 2| \ge 4
x2 or x6x \ge 2 \text{ or } x \le -6
An inequality of the form ua|u| \ge a (where a>0a > 0) expands to uau \ge a or uau \le -a. Subtracting 2 from both inequalities yields x2x \ge 2 or x6x \le -6.
3
Determine the overlapping interval for both inequalities
2x72 \le x \le 7
Combining 2x7-2 \le x \le 7 with x2 or x6x \ge 2 \text{ or } x \le -6 eliminates x6x \le -6. The intersection of [2,7][-2, 7] and [2,)[2, \infty) is [2,7][2, 7].
4
Identify the integer values in the solution interval and calculate their sum
27
The integers in the closed interval [2,7][2, 7] are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Adding them together gives 2+3+4+5+6+7=272 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 27.

Key Concept

System of Linear Absolute Value Inequalities
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