|x| + 9 ≤ <span>7 </span> Add -9 from each side <span><span>|x| + 9</span>+ <span>−9 </span></span>≤ <span>7 + <span>−9 </span></span><span>|x| </span>≤ <span>−<span>2 </span></span> Now solve the absolute value (You can't because the absolute value would end up less than 0 and it's not possible for that to happen)