If x is a real number such that |2x - 7| \le 5, what is the minimum possible value of |x -… — GRE General Test

If $x$ is a real number such that $|2x - 7| \le 5$ , what is the minimum possible value of $|x - 8|$ ?

Cevap: 2

Solving the given inequality

|2x - 7| \le 5

yields the compound inequality

-5 \le 2x - 7 \le 5

. Adding 7 across the inequality gives

2 \le 2x \le 12

, which simplifies to

1 \le x \le 6

. Geometrically,

|x - 8|

represents the distance between

x

and 8 on the real number line. To minimize this distance for any

x

in the closed interval

[1, 6]

, we select the point in

[1, 6]

closest to 8, which is

x = 6

. Evaluating at

x = 6

produces

|6 - 8| = 2

Unpack the absolute value inequality

1 \le x \le 6

The inequality

|2x - 7| \le 5

is equivalent to

-5 \le 2x - 7 \le 5

. Adding 7 gives

2 \le 2x \le 12

, and dividing by 2 yields

1 \le x \le 6

Determine the value in the domain

[1, 6]

that minimizes

|x - 8|

x = 6

The expression

|x - 8|

measures the distance from

x

to 8 on the number line. The value within

[1, 6]

nearest to 8 is

x = 6

Evaluate the expression at

x = 6

Substituting

x = 6

into

|x - 8|

gives

|6 - 8| = |-2| = 2

Properties of Linear Inequalities and Absolute Value as Distance

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