Understanding Current Sense in Circuits: The Reversal Dilemma

[sevag00]

Hi. It's me again with another confusing circuit problem. The first attached image below shows i_b going from right to left through the 11Ω resistor and i_b is given -2A. In the solutions manual of the book, it has reversed the direction of the current as in going from left to right and taken the value 2A.
My questions is, why has the solutions manual reversed the direction and not just solved it from left to right and taking the current -2A? Could it be solved it both ways?

 

[Abhilash H N]

The current always flows from +ve terminal to -ve. The negetive sign just indicates that current is positive in the reverse direction (in other words it is flowing in the reverse direction). Since i_b is given as -2A it is saying that the current is 2A in the reverse direction (which is indicated in the solution manual). It could be solved in both ways. Just keep in mind the sign convention.
Regards

 

[sevag00]

Aha. Thanks for the answer.