To solve the equation |3x + 1| = 4 - x, we will consider two cases based on the definition of absolute value.
Case 1: 3x + 1 = 4 - x
Solve for x:
3x + 1 = 4 - x
Add x to both sides:
3x + x + 1 = 4
Combine like terms:
4x + 1 = 4
Subtract 1 from both sides:
4x = 3
Divide by 4:
Case 2: 3x + 1 = -(4 - x)
Solve for x:
3x + 1 = -4 + x
Subtract (x) from both sides:
3x - x + 1 = -4
Combine like terms:
2x + 1 = -4
Subtract 1 from both sides:
2x = -5
Divide by 2:
Solutions Found
The potential solutions are:
Step 3: Check for Extraneous Solutions
Check
Substituting into the original equation:
Left side:
Right side:
Since both sides are equal,