Absolute Value of a Difference with Heaviside Function

Batmaniac
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Homework Statement



If |x| = -x + 2x*H(x) what is |x - a|? This isn't the actual question, just something I need to know to solve the question.


Homework Equations



H(x) is the Heaviside function which is:

y = 1 if x >= 0
y = 0 if x < 0


The Attempt at a Solution



Well, I'm not sure how to do it algebraically, but my best guess would be:

|x - a| = -(x - a) + 2(x - a)*H(x - a)
 
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Correct.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...

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