P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `

Very often the term ‘absolute value’ has been used to quantify a given quantity of something and in
many of those cases such term (absolute value) has been referred to as ‘the positive value’ of this
quantity. For example
Consider two numbers 8 and 11 , these two numbers have
values 8 and 11 but their absolute values are 8 and 11 respectively.
It is clear that the absolute value of a given number regardless if the positive or negative it would
be ‘the scalar magnitude value of this number ignoring the positive or negative sign’ which is also
known as ‘the modulus’ of a given number.

Mathematically, modulus of a number is as:

“the size of the number regardless of the sign”
The modulus of a given number is denoted as vertical lines enclosing the given number as shown
below:
The modulus of 6 is denoted as 6 or modulus of 11 is denoted as 11 .

Thus, generally speaking, for any number x the value x is never negative.

if x is positive ( x  0 ), then x  x , and

if x is negative ( x  0 ), then  x  x

Eg1: Evaluate
a) 23 b) 41

Solution
a) 23  23 b) 41  41

There are times when mathematical functions and equations can be expressed in modulus forms
such as:
y  3x  2 , y  x 2  5 x  7  5 x  4  10 , y  5sin x  cos 3 x

7 2  3x  11x  2 , 1  3 9 x2  4  x  2 , 5 tan 2 x  7  cos 3x ,

to mention a few examples.

Furthermore these functions and equations can be manipulated in the same way as for ordinary
functions and equations but respecting all the properties and rules of modulus in the processes.
Now here are some modulus manipulation with their properties and rules that govern them.

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `
A Modulus functions and their graphs
Sketching any modulus function always follow the same basic principle of modulus values which
said that it is only the positive part that is to be considered and negative part is taken to be positive
even though it is negative.
Property: No line of a modulus function goes below the x- axis
Rule: Part(s) of the the function which is below the x- axis will reflect above in the x- axis
Linear Functions
Consider the general linear function y  x  a . Directly from the definition of modulus, it can be

seen that the graph of the modulus of the linear function of y  x  a is actually obtain by

sketching the curve y  x  a and reflect the part which is below the x- axis in the x-axis at the

point  a, 0  as shown in the diagram below. y

y  xa

x
x=a
y  xa

Therefore, generally the modulus graph of any linear function in the form y  ax  b is

obtained by always sketching the curve y  ax  b and reflecting the part of y  0 (which is

below the x- axis) in the x-axis at point for which ax  b  0 .

Eg2: Sketch on a clear labelled diagram the curve of y  3 x  4

Solution
y  3x  4
4
From the equation y  3 x  4 , when y  0  3 x  4  0 giving x  
3
Therefore the curve y  3 x  4 is obtained from y  3x  4 for which part of
 4 
this line below the x- axis is reflected in the x- axis at the point  0 , 
y  3 

y  3x  4

x
4
x
3
y  xa

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `
2. Other functions
The graph of other modulus functions follow the same principle as it is for linear functions which
simplify to:
the modulus graph of any function is obtained by sketching the graph of that
function and reflecting all the parts of the curve of the function which is
below the x-axis in the x- axis at all the points of which the function touch
the x- axis.

Thus, the two examples that follow will illustrate the principle clear

Eg3: Sketch fully the graph

Solution
y  x2  x  6
Take y  x 2  x  6 for y  0

 x2  x  6  0
  x  3 x  2   0  x  2 and x  3
2
 1  25
By completing the square x  x  6   x   
2

 2 4

 1 25 
 the curve y  x 2  x  6 has vertex at  ,  
2 4 

From the the working above then the curve y  x 2  x  6 is the reflection of

the part of the curve y  x 2  x  6 below the x- axis such that 2  x  3

in the x- axis as shown in the diagram below.

y
y  x2  x  6
25
4

3 x
-2 1
2

y  x2  x  6
 254

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `

Eg4: On a clear labelled diagram, sketch the curve of y  2sin x

in the interval such that 0  x  2

Solution
y  2sin x

Sketch the curve y  2sin x for 0  x  2

Then reflect the parts of the curve of y  2sin x which below the x- axis in the x- axis

at all the point of which 2 sin x  0 . This will be the sketch of the curve y  2 sin x
y

2
y  2 sin x

x
0   3 2
2 2

y  2sin x
-2

It is important to note that all the modulus functions discussed above are in the form of
y  f  x

Nevertheless it is essential to understand the the properties of linear modulus functions in the form
of
y  af  bx  c   d

Earlier it has established how to sketch the graph y  f  x  by just drawing the curve y  f  x 

and reflect the part of the curve which is be the x-axis in the x-axis. Now if a linear modulus
function is in the form such that
y  f  bx  c 

then the graph of such function is obtained by sketching the straight line of y  bx  c crossing the
y-axis at  c with gradient b and crossing the x-axis at bx  c  0 but reflecting the part of the line
which is below the x-axis at bx  c  0 in the x-axis.

y  f  bx  c  c

x  bc

y  bx  c

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `

Eg5: Sketch a clear labelled graph y  3 x  2

Solution
y  3x  2

2
Sketch the graph y  3x  2 , showing the line crossing the x-axis at x  and the y-axis
3
2
at y  2 . Now reflect the part of the graph at x  which is below the x-axis in the
3
2 
x-axis to form a V- shape with vertex at the point  , 0  to get the graph of
3 
y  3x  2

y  3x  2

2
x
3

y  2
y  3x  2

Now suppose a modulus function in the form such that

y  af  bx  c 

whereby the variable a tells how the graph stretches vertically. The diagram illustrates that
clearly.

y  4 x2
y  x 2
y 3 x 2

1
y  x 2
2

It is clear that as a gets larger for a  0 the modulus graph of y  af  bx  c  its gradient gets

steeper thus the V- shape graph is less widely open.

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `
From above definitions of absolute values are non- negative values, it is tempting to assume that
graph of absolute functions can not be below the x-axis but on the contrary this can be possible.
Consider the modulus function
y  bx  c

It is obvious that for all values of x (both negative and positive) the corresponding y values will
be positive always. Thus now by considering the modulus function such that
y   bx  c
As the negative sign is outside the modulus sign then from the above argument, it is clear the for
all values of x (both negative and positive) the corresponding y values will be negative always.
Here are two examples for graph of negative modulus functions
i) y  2 x  3 and y   2 x  3 ii) y  5  x and y   5  x

y  2x  3 y  5 x

y   5 x
y   2x  3

From the two examples, it is clear that the graphs of a negative modulus function is the reflection
of the graphs of the corresponding positive modulus function below the x-axis in the x-axis as the
mirror line.
The last property about graph of modulus functions is to understand the effect a constant outside the
modulus sign such as
y  bx  c  d
y  x 1  5 y  x 1  3
y  x 1

y  x 1 1 y  x 1  2

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `
The diagram above shows that a constant outside the modulus sign in the form such as
y  bx  c  d makes the graph of y  bx  c to move up or down d steps from the x-axis. If

d is positive then the graph move up and if d is negative then it will move down. It is therefore
clear that graphs of modulus function are not only on one side of the x- axis but it also can cross the
x-axis.

B Solving Modulus Equations and Inequalities

Solving modulus equations or inequalities are no different to solving algebraic equations processes.
None the less modulus equations and inequalities have some properties on there own hence it is
essentially important know these properties. Before going any further, here are some basic
algebraic properties of modulus.
1 Algebraic Properties of Modulus
Suppose a and b are two real numbers, then a and b will give a or a and b or b

respectively, thus it follows that the following statements are true;

i) a  b  ab

a a
ii) 
b b
2
iii) a  a 2  a 2

iv) if x  a  x 2  a 2

v) x2  x

Now these properties in mind it is sufficient to look at solving modulus equations and inequalities
processes.

2 Modulus Equations
To start with, consider the simple modulus statement of x  2 From definitions of modulus the

above statement yield to if x  2 , then an equivalent interpretation is that x is such that

By definition x 2 alternatively x 2

  x   22
2
 x  2 or x2

x  2  x 2  22  x  2
thus in other words if x  2  x  2 , it is then safe to say that generally if

x  a  x  a

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `
It is important to extend the above methods further to other modulus equations.
Eg6: solve x  1  5

Solution
x 1  5

By definition alternatively
x 1  5 x 1  5

 x 1 
2
x  1  5 or x 1  5  52  ( x  1) 2  25

 x  4 x6 x  1  5
 x  4 or x  6

Eg7: Solve the equation 2 x  5  x  1

Solution
2x  5  x 1

By definition alternatively
2x  5  x 1 2x  5  x 1

2 x  5    x  1 2 x  5   x  1  2x  5    x  1    2 x  5   x  1
2 2 2 2
or

3 x  5  1 x  5 1  4 x 2  20 x  25  x 2  2 x  1  x 2  6 x  8  0
x  2 x  4 x  2 or x  4

From the processes of solving the above modulus equations it is clear that algebraic principles are
preserved and used to obtain the solutions of the equations. Both methods are equally useful but
none the less the ‘alternative method’ has an advantage over the ‘by definition’ method and this will
be highlight later on.

3 Modulus Inequalities
An inequality defines a range of possible values for a mathematical relationship. The range for a
modulus inequality is defined by two possibilities whereby these two possibilities may be positive
or it may be negative. This is why modulus inequality have to be evaluated twice, that is when it
is positive and the other is when it is negative.
The graphical solution set of a modulus inequality will either be a segment between two points on
the graph or two separate points going in opposite directions from two points on the graph. Any
point along the segment or along the rays will satisfy the original inequality.

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `
Not going further consider the the modulus inequality
x 6

Again as it was for modulus equation, the modulus equality can be interpreted as
x6 or  x  6  x  6

6 0 6
Furthermore suppose the modulus inequality was
x 6

this will yield

x6 or  x  6  x  6

6 0 6

Now consider the inequality

x 3  8

Solving such inequality gives:

x 3  8

x3 8 and   x  3  8

x  11 and x  3  8  x  5 5 11
In the same way 2 x  1  13 can be solved.

2 x  1  13

2 x  1  13 and   2 x  1  13

x6 and 2 x  1  13  x  7

7 6

It is with these two examples that a method will be used to solve modulus inequalities. This
method go back to the alternate method used to solve modulus equations better known as ‘The
Squaring’ method.
Take the modulus inequality
x 3  8
2
 x  3  82 (By squaring both sides using rule iv)

 x  3
2
 82

x 2  6 x  55  0   x  5  x  11  0 5 11

x  5 and x  11 (from graph)

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 P31 Topic: Modulus Functions `

Eg8: Solve the inequality 2 x  x  1

Solution
2x  x 1

2x   x  1
2 2
(By squaring both sides)

 4x2  x2  2x  1 (Expanding and simplifying)

3x 2  2 x  1  0
 3x  1 x  1  0 1 1
3

1
x  1 and x (from graph)
3

Eg 9: Find the of values of x satisfying the inequality 2 2 x  a  x  3a , where a is

positive constant.

Solution
2 2 x  a  x  3a

22  2 x  a    x  3a 
2 2
(By squaring both sides)

16 x 2  16ax  4a 2  x 2  6ax  9a 2 (Expanding and simplifying)

a 5a
5 3 15 x 2  22ax  5a 2  0
 5 x  a  3x  5a   0
a 5a
x (from graph)
5 3
Once again both methods used above will yield to the same answer when solving modulus
inequalities none the less the squaring method is an advantage as it requires only the skill to solving
quadratic inequalities while the definition method requires the knowledge of modulus definition,
solving inequalities and using number line to identify required range.

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