What is x if |5x+8|=17?

To solve |5x+8|=1.

If 5x+8
> 0, then |5x+8|=1 would mean 5x+8 = 17.

So 5x =
17-8 = 9.

5x/5 = 9/5 = 1.8.

So
x = 1.8 is the solution.

If 5x+8 < 0, then |5x+8| =
17 would mean -(5x+8) = 17.

Multiply both sides of -(5x+8)
= 17 by -1 and we get:

5x+8 =
-17.

5x = -17-8 = -25.

5x/5 =
-25/5 = -5.

x = -5 is the
solution.

So there are 2 solutions: x= 1.8, or x=
-5.

Notes