Is sqrt [(x-3)^2] = 3-x
1) x is not equal to 3
2) -x*|x| > 0
Be definition:
√(x²) = |x|.
|x-y| is the DISTANCE between x and y.
Question rephrased: Is |x-3| = 3-x?
In other words:
Is the DISTANCE between x and 3 equal to the DIFFERENCE between 3 and x?
A DIFFERENCE can be negative, 0, or positive.
A DISTANCE must be greater than or equal to 0.
For the DIFFERENCE between two values to be equal to the DISTANCE between the two values, the DIFFERENCE -- like the DISTANCE -- must be greater than or equal to 0:
3-x≥0
x≤3.
Thus, |x-3| = 3-x as long as x is not greater than 3.
Question stem, rephrased:
Is it true that x is not greater than 3?
Statement 1: x is not equal to 3.
It is possible that x<3 or that x>3.
INSUFFICIENT.
Statement 2: -x*|x| > 0 .
Thus, the left-hand side must be (+)(+) or (-)(-).
Since |x| cannot be negative, both factors on the left-hand side must be positive.
Thus:
-x>0
x<0.
Since x<0, we know that x is not greater than 3.
SUFFICIENT.
The correct answer is
B.
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