Solving Inequalities:, , or . This Section Will
Solving Inequalities:, , or . This Section Will
Solving Inequalities:, , or . This Section Will
Introduction
An inequality is an expression involving one of the symbols ≥, ≤, > or <. This section will
first show how to manipulate inequalities correctly. Then the solution of inequalities, both
algebraically and graphically, will be described.
Key Point
> means: ‘is greater than’, ≥ means: ‘is greater than or equal to’
< means: ‘is less than’, ≤ means: ‘is less than or equal to’
A number line is often a helpful way of picturing inequalities. Given two numbers a and b, if
b > a then b will be to the right of a on the number line as shown in Figure 1.
a b
−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Figure 2
Inequalities can always be written in two ways. For example in English we can state that 8 is
greater than 7, or equivalently, that 7 is less than 8. Mathematically we write 8 > 7 or 7 < 8.
Similarly if b > a then a < b. If a < b then a will be to the left of b on the number line.
Example Rewrite the inequality − 25 < x using only the ‘greater than’ sign, >.
Solution
− 25 < x can be written as x > − 25
Solution
5 > x can be written as x < 5.
Sometimes two inequalities are combined into a single statement. Consider for example the
statement 3 < x < 6. This is a compact way of writing ‘3 < x and x < 6’. Now 3 < x is
equivalent to x > 3 and so 3 < x < 6 means x is greater than 3 but less than 6.
Inequalities obey simple rules when used in conjunction with arithmetical operations.
Key Point
1. Adding or subtracting the same quantity from both sides of an inequality leaves the
inequality sign unchanged.
2. Multiplying or dividing both sides by a positive number leaves the inequality sign un-
changed.
8+k >5+k
8k > 5k
provided k is positive.
However
8k < 5k
if k is negative. We emphasise that the inequality sign is reversed when multiplying both sides
by a negative number. A common mistake is to forget to reverse the inequality sign when
multiplying inequalities by a negative number. For example 8 > 5, but multiplying both sides
by −1 gives −8 < −5.
Your solution
54 > −27
The modulus or magnitude sign is sometimes used with inequalities. For example |x| < 1
represents the set of all numbers whose actual size, irrespective of sign, is less than 1. This
means any value between −1 and 1. Thus
|x| < 1 implies − 1 < x < 1
Similarly |x| > 4 means all numbers whose size, irrespective of sign, is greater than 4. This
means any value greater than 4 or less than −4. Thus
|x| > 4 implies x > 4 or x < −4
In general, if k is a positive number,
Key Point
Exercises
1. State which of the following statements is true and which is false.
(a) 4 > 9, (b) 4 > 4, (c) 4 ≥ 4, (d) 0.001 < 10−5 , (e) | − 19| < 100,
(f) | − 19| > −20, (g) 0.001 ≤ 10−3
In questions 2-9 rewrite each of the statements without using a modulus sign:
2. |x| < 2, 3. |x| < 5, 4. |x| ≤ 7.5, 5. |x − 3| < 2,
6. |x − a| < 1, 7. |x| > 2, 8. |x| > 7.5, 9. |x| ≥ 0.
8. x > 7.5 or x < −7.5 9. x ≥ 0 or x ≤ 0, in fact any x.
5. −2 < x − 3 < 2 6. −1 < x − a < 1 7. x > 2 or x < −2
2. −2 < x < 2 3. −5 < x < 5 4. −7.5 ≤ x ≤ 7.5
(g) T Answers 1. (a) F (b) F (c) T (d) F (e) T (f) T
Solution
4x + 3 > 0
4x > −3, by subtracting 3 from both sides
3
x > − by dividing both sides by 4.
4
Hence all values of x greater than − 34 satisfy 4x + 3 > 0.
Solution
−3x − 7 ≤ 0
−3x ≤ 7 by adding 7 to both sides
7
x ≥ − dividing both sides by − 3
3
and reversing the inequality
13x + 2 < 1
13x < −1
x < −1/13
Example Solve the inequality |5x − 2| < 4 and depict the solution graphically.
Solution
−4 < 5x − 2
−2 < 5x by adding 2 to both sides
2
− < x by dividing both sides by 5
5
So x > − 25 . Now consider the second part: 5x − 2 < 4.
5x − 2 < 4
5x < 6 by adding 2 to both sides
6
x < by dividing both sides by 5
5
Putting both parts of the solution together we see that the inequality is satisfied when
− 25 < x < 65 . This range of values is shown in Figure 3.
−2/5 0 6/5
Your solution
|1 − 2x| < 5 is equivalent to
−5 < 1 − 2x < 5
Then treat each part separately. First of all consider −5 < 1 − 2x. Solve this.
Your solution
x<3
Your solution
x > −2
Exercises
In questions 1-16 solve the given inequality algebraically.
1. 4x > 8 2. 5x > 8 3. 8x > 5 4. 8x ≤ 5
5. 2x > 1 6. 3x < −1 7. 5x > 2 8. 2x > 0
9. 8x < 0 10. 3x ≥ 0 11. 3x > 4 12. 34 x > 1
13. 4x ≤ −3 14. 3x ≤ −4 15. 5x ≥ 0 16. 4x ≤ 0
17. 5x + 1 < 8 18. 5x + 1 ≤ 8 19. 7x + 3 ≥ 0
20. 18x + 2 > 9 21. 14x + 11 > 22 22. 1 − 5x ≤ 0
23. 2 + 5x ≥ 1 24. 11 − 7x < 2 25. 5 + 4x > 2x + 1
26. 7 − 3x > x − 5
In questions 27-33 solve the inequality.
27. |7x − 3| > 1 28. |2x + 1| ≥ 3 29. |5x| < 1 30. |5x| ≤ 0
31. |1 − 5x| > 2 32. |2 − 5x| ≥ 3 33. |2x − 1| < 1
Solution
We consider the function y = 5x + 2 whose graph is shown in Figure 4.
y
y = 5x + 2
10
5
x = −2/5
x
−1 0 1 2
Figure 4. Graph of y = 5x + 2.
The values of x which make 5x + 2 negative are those for which y is negative. We see directly
from the graph that y is negative when x < − 25 .
y
5
y = x2 − x − 6
x
−2 −1 0 1 2
−5
Figure 5. Graph of y = x2 − x − 6.
Note that the graph crosses the x axis when x = −2 and when x = 3. Now x2 − x − 6
will be negative when y is negative. Directly from the graph we see that y is negative when
−2 < x < 3.
Your solution
x < −2 or x > 3
Example By plotting a graph of y = 20x4 − 4x3 − 143x2 + 46x + 165 find the range of
values of x for which
−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 3 4 5
x
Exercises
In questions 1-4 solve the given inequality graphically:
1. 3x + 1 < 0 2. 2x − 7 < 0 3. 6x + 9 > 0, 4. 5x − 3 > 0
4. x > 3/5 3. x > −3/2 2. x < 7/2, Answers 1. x < − 31