Question

Difficulty: MediumLinear Inequalities and Absolute Value

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

Answer: 27

Answer

The sum of all integer values of xx that satisfy both inequalities is 27.
First, solving ∣2x−5∣≤9|2x - 5| \le 9 yields −9≤2x−5≤9  ⟹  −4≤2x≤14  ⟹  −2≤x≤7-9 \le 2x - 5 \le 9 \implies -4 \le 2x \le 14 \implies -2 \le x \le 7. Second, solving ∣x+2∣≥4|x + 2| \ge 4 yields x+2≥4  ⟹  x≥2x + 2 \ge 4 \implies x \ge 2 or x+2≤−4  ⟹  x≤−6x + 2 \le -4 \implies x \le -6. Taking the intersection of −2≤x≤7-2 \le x \le 7 and (x≥2 or x≤−6)(x \ge 2 \text{ or } x \le -6) gives the solution set 2≤x≤72 \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 ∣2x−5∣≤9|2x - 5| \le 9
−2≤x≤7-2 \le x \le 7
An inequality of the form ∣u∣≤a|u| \le a (where a≥0a \ge 0) expands to −a≤u≤a-a \le u \le a. Adding 5 gives −4≤2x≤14-4 \le 2x \le 14, and dividing by 2 yields −2≤x≤7-2 \le x \le 7.
2
Solve the inequality ∣x+2∣≥4|x + 2| \ge 4
x≥2 or x≤−6x \ge 2 \text{ or } x \le -6
An inequality of the form ∣u∣≥a|u| \ge a (where a>0a > 0) expands to u≥au \ge a or u≤−au \le -a. Subtracting 2 from both inequalities yields x≥2x \ge 2 or x≤−6x \le -6.
3
Determine the overlapping interval for both inequalities
2≤x≤72 \le x \le 7
Combining −2≤x≤7-2 \le x \le 7 with x≥2 or x≤−6x \ge 2 \text{ or } x \le -6 eliminates x≤−6x \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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