Absolute Value Equations & Inequalities

The Desmos trick

Graph y = |expression| and y = the other side of the equation. The V-shaped graph crosses the line at one or two points — click them both, since absolute value equations often have two solutions.

• Type abs(...) or use the | | keys for absolute value
• Graph the right-hand side as its own line, e.g. y = 2x + 9
• Click every intersection point — a V-shaped graph often crosses a line twice