Chapter 9

More on Inequalities
 SETS, INEQUALITIES, and INTERVAL
9. NOTATION

1 a. Determine whether a given number is a

solution of an inequality.
b. Write interval notation for the solution set
or the graph of an inequality.
c. Solve an inequality using the addition
principle and the multiplication principle
and then graph the inequality.
d. Solve applied problems by translating to
inequalities.

Copyright © 2015, 2011, and 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.

Inequality
An inequality is a sentence containing
, , , , or .

Examples of Inequalities
3 x  2  7, c 7, and 4 x  6 3.
 Example
Determine whether 5 is a solution to
3 x  2  7.

Solution
We substitute 5 for x and get 3(5) + 2 > 7, or
17 > 7, a true statement. Thus, 5 is a solution.
The graph of an inequality is a visual representation
of the inequality’s solution set. An inequality in one
variable can be graphed on a number line.

Example Graph x < 2 on a number line.

Solution

)
-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Note that in set-builder notation the solution is

 x | x  2 .
 Interval Notation
Another way to write solutions of an inequality in
one variable is to use interval notation. Interval
notation uses parentheses, ( ), and brackets, [ ].

If a and b are real numbers such that a < b, we define

the open interval (a, b) as the set of all numbers x
for which a < x < b. Thus,
(a, b)  x | a  x  b .
(a, b)
( )
a b
 Interval Notation
The closed interval [a, b] is defined as the set of all
numbers x for which a x b.
Thus,
[a, b]  x | a x b .

[a, b]
[ ]
a b
 Interval Notation
There are two types of half-open intervals, defined
as follows:
1. (a, b]  x | a  x b .
(a, b]
( ]
a b
2. [a, b)  x | a x  b .

[a, b)
[ )
 Interval Notation
We use the symbols  and   to represent
positive and negative infinity, respectively. Thus the
 (a, ) represents the set of all real numbers
notation
 and ( , a) represents the set of all
greater than a,
numbers less than a.
(a, )
(
a
( , a)
)
a
The notations (– , a] and [a, ) are used when we
want to include the endpoint a.
 Example

Write interval notation for the given set.

a. {x | 3 < x < 8}
b. {x | x  4}

Solution
a. {x | 3 < x < 8} = (3, 8)

b. {x | x  4} = [4, )
 Example Solve. 3x  3 > x + 7

Solution
3x  3 > x + 7 Adding 3 to both sides

3x  3 + 3 > x + 7 + 3 Simplifying

3x > x + 10 Subtracting x from both sides

3x  x > x  x + 10 Simplifying
2x > 10
Dividing both sides by 2
2 x 10
 Simplifying
2 2
x>5
The solution set is {x | x > 5}.
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
(5 6 7 8
 Example Solve: 5(x  3)  7x  4(x  3) + 9

Solution
5(x  3)  7x  4(x  3) + 9 Using the distributive law to
5x  15  7x  4x  12 + 9 remove parentheses

2x  15  4x  3 Simplifying

2x  15 + 3  4x  3 + 3 Adding 3 to both sides

2x  12  4x Simplifying
2x + 2x  12  4x + 2x Adding 2x to both sides
12  6x
Dividing both sides by 6
2  x
The solution set is {x | x  2}.
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3
]-2 -1 0 1 2
 INTERSECTIONS, UNIONS, and
9. COMPOUND INEQUALITIES

2 a. Find the intersection of two sets. Solve

and graph conjunctions or inequalities.
b. Find the union of two sets. Solve and
graph disjunction of inequalities.
c. Solve applied problems involving
conjunctions and disjunctions of
inequalities.

Copyright © 2015, 2011, and 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.

Two inequalities joined by the word “and”
or the word “or” are called compound
inequalities.
Examples
3 x  9 0 and x  5

7 x  1 8 or x  8
Intersection
The intersection of two sets A and B is the set of
all members that are common to A and B. We
denote the intersection of sets A and B as A  B.

A B

AB
 Example
Find the intersection:
 a, b, c, d , e, f , g   a, e, i, o, u .
Solution
The letters a and e are common to both
sets, so the intersection is {a, e}.
“And”; “Intersection”
The word “and” corresponds to “intersection”
and to the symbol “”. In order for a number to
be a solution of a conjunction, it must make each
part of the conjunction true.
 Example
Solve and graph: 2 x  1  3 and 3 x  12.

Solution
2 x  1  3 and 3 x  12
2 x  4 and 3 x  12
x  2 and x  4.
[ )
-2 4
 Example
Solve and graph:
5  x  10 and x  4   3.
Solution
5  x  10 and x  4   3
x  5 and x  1.

Since no number is greater than 5 and less

than 1, the solution set is the empty set .

0
Union
The union of two sets A and B is the collection of
elements belonging to A and/or B. We denote the
union of A and B by A  B.

A B

AB
 Example

Find the union:  a, b, c, d , e,   a, e, i, o, u .

Solution
The letters in either or both sets are a, b, c,
d, e, i, o and u, so the union is
 a, b, c, d , e, i, o, u .
“Or”; “Union”
The word “or” corresponds to “union” and to the
symbol "  ". In order for a number to be in the
solution set of a disjunction, it must be in at least
one of the solution sets of the individual
sentences.
 Example
Solve and graph: 2 x  1 3 or 3 x   3.

Solution
2 x  1 3 or 3 x   3
2 x 2 or 3 x   3
x 1 or x   1.

) [
1 1
 ABSOLUTE-VALUE EQUATIONS and
9. INEQUALITIES

3 a. Simplify expressions containing absolute-

value symbols.
b. Find the distance between two points on
the number line.
c. Solve equations with absolute-value
expressions.
d. Solve equations with two absolute-value
expressions.
e. Solve inequalities with absolute-value
expressions.
Absolute Value
The absolute value of x denoted |x|, is defined as
follows:

x 0  x x; x  0  x  x.
Properties of Absolute Value
a) ab  a b, for any real numbers a and b.
(The absolute value of a product is the product of the
absolute values.
a a
b)  , for any real numbers a and b  0.
b b

(The absolute value of a quotient is the quotient of the

absolute values.)
c)  a  a , for any real number a.
(The absolute value of the opposite of a number is the
same as the absolute value of the number.)
 Example

Simplify, leaving as little as possible inside the

absolute-value signs.
8x
a. |7x| b. |8y| c. |6x |
2
d. 2
 4x
Solution
a. |7x| =7 x 7 x b. |8y| = 8  y 8 y

c. |6x | =
2 6  x 2
6 x 2
6x 2

8 x 2 2 2
d.   
 4x 2
x x x
Distance and Absolute Value
For any real numbers a and b, the distance
between them is |a – b|.
 Example

Find the distance between 12 and 56 on the number

line.
Solution
| 12 – (56)|
= 44

or | 56 – (12)|
= | 44|
= 44
 Example
Solve: a) |x| = 6; b) |x| = 0; c) |x| = –2
Solution
a) We interpret |x| = 6 to mean that the number x is 6
units from zero on a number line. Thus the
solution set is {–6, 6}.

b) We interpret |x| = 0 to mean that x is 0 units from zero

on a number line. The only number that satisfies this
is zero itself. Thus the solution set is {0}.

c) Since distance is always nonnegative, |x| = –2 has

no solution. Thus the solution set is .
 Example
Solve: a) |2x +1| = 5; b) |3 – 4x| = –10
Solution
a) We use the absolute-value principle, replacing
X with 2x + 1 and p with 5. Then we solve each
equation separately.
|X| = p
|2x +1| = 5 Absolute-value principle

2x +1 = –5 or 2x +1 = 5
2x = –6 or 2x = 4
x = –3 or x=2
The solution set is {–3, 2}.
continued
b) The absolute-value principle reminds us that
absolute value is always nonnegative.
The equation |3 – 4x| = –10 has no solution.
The solution set is .
Sometimes an equation has two absolute-
value expressions. Consider |a| = |b|. This
means that a and b are the same distance from
zero.
If a and b are the same distance from zero,
then either they are the same number or they
are opposites.
 Example
Solve: |3x – 5| = |8 + 4x|.

This assumes these This assumes these

numbers are the same. numbers are opposites.

3x – 5 = 8 + 4x or 3x – 5 = –(8 + 4x)

and solve each equation.

continued

3x – 5 = 8 + 4x or 3x – 5 = (8 + 4x)
–13 + 3x = 4x 3 x  5  8  4 x
–13 = x 7 x  5  8
7 x  3
3
x 
7
The solutions are 13 and 3/7.
 Example Solve: |x| < 3. Then graph.

Solution
The solutions of |x| < 3 are all numbers
whose distance from zero is less than 3. By
substituting we see that numbers like –2, –1,
–1/2, 0, 1/3, 1, and 2 are all solutions. The
solution set is {x| –3 < x < 3}. In interval
notation, the solution set is (–3, 3). The
graph is as follows:
( )
-3 3
 Example Solve: x 3. Then graph.

Solution
The solutions of x 3 are all numbers
whose distance from zero is at least 3 units.
The solution set is {x | x  3 or x 3}.
In interval notation, the solution set is
( ,  3]  [3, ).
The graph is as follows:

] [
-3 3
Solutions of Absolute-Value
Equations and Inequalities
For any positive number p and any
expression X:
a) The solutions of |X| = p are those numbers
that satisfy X = –p or X = p.
–p p
b) The solutions of |X| < p are those numbers
that satisfy –p < X < p.

–p p

c) The solutions of |X| > p are those numbers that

satisfy X < –p or p < X.

–p p
 Example Solve: |3x + 7| < 8. Then graph.

Solution
The number 3x + 7 must be less than 8 units from 0.
|X| < p
Replacing X with 3x + 7
|3x + 7| < 8 and p with 8.
–8 < 3x + 7 < 8
–15 < 3x < 1
–15 < x < 1/3
The solution set is {x|–5 < x < 1/3}. The graph is as follows:
( )
–5 1/3
 SYSTEMS of INEQUALITILES in TWO
9. VARIABLES

4 a. ofDetermine whether an ordered pair

numbers is a solution of an
inequality in two variables.
b. Graph linear inequalities in two
variables.
c. Graph systems of linear inequalities
and find coordinates of any vertices.
 Example
Determine whether the ordered pair (5, 2) is a
solution of the inequality 3x – 2y > 12.

Solution
We have 3x – 2y > 12
3(5)  2(2)
15  4
11 False

Since 11 > 12 is false, (5, 2) is not a solution.

Graphing Linear Inequalities
To graph inequalities like y > 3x + 2, we will shade a
region of a plane. That region will be either above or
below the graph of a “boundary line.” If the symbol
is ≤ or ≥, we will draw the boundary line solid, since
it is part of the solution set. When the boundary is
excluded—that is, if < or > is used—we will draw a
dashed line.
 1
Example Graph: y  x  1.
2

Solution
We begin by graphing the
boundary line y = x/2  1.
The slope is ½ and the
y-intercept is (0, 1 ). This
line is drawn dashed since
the symbol < is used.
The plane is now split in two. If one point in a region
We need to select a test solves an inequality, then
point to determine which all points in that region
region to shade. are solutions.
continued

Test Point: Check (0, 0)

1
y  x 1
2
1
0 (0)  1
2
0 0 1
01
False so we shade below the line.
 Example Graph: 2 x  3 y 6.
Solution
We begin by graphing the
boundary line 2x + 3y = 6. (Use
any method)
Intercepts (0, 2), (3, 0).
Use a solid boundary line.
Use a test point (0, 0) to determine
which region to shade.
2x + 3y ≥ 6
2(0) + 3(0) ≥ 6
0 ≥ 6 False Shade above the line
To graph an inequality in two variables:
1. Replace the inequality symbol with an equals sign and graph
this related equation. This separates points that represent
solutions from those that do not.
2. If the inequality symbol is < or >, draw the line dashed. If the
symbol is ≤ or ≥, draw the line solid.
3. The graph consists of a half-plane that is either above or
below or to the left or right of the line and, if the line is solid,
the line as well. To determine which half-plane to shade,
choose a point not on the line as a test point. If the line does
not go through the origin, (0, 0) is an easy point to use.
Substitute to determine whether that point is a solution. If so,
shade the half-plane containing that point. If not, shade the
opposite half-plane.
 Example Graph y ≥ 3 on a plane.

Solution
We graph y = 3 as a
solid line to indicate
that all points on the
line are solutions.
Again, we select (0, 0)
as a test point.
y ≥ 3
0 ≥ 3 True
Shade the region containing
(0, 0) (above the line).
 Example Graph: x < 2.

Solution
We graph x = 2 using a
dashed line.
To determine which region
to shade use the test point
(0, 0).
x<2
0 < 2 True
Since (0, 0) is a solution, we
shade to the left.
 Example

Graph the solutions of the Solution set

system x  2
x  3 y  6.

Solution
We graph x ≥ 2 using red.
We graph x  3y < 6 using
blue.
The solution set is the
overlapping region.
 Graph the solutions of the x  3 y  6
Example system y  2 x  1.

Solution set
Solution
We graph x + 3y > 6 using
red.
We graph y < 2x  1 using
blue.
The solution set is the
overlapping region. Any
points in the solution set will
solve both inequalities.
 Example

Graph the following system of inequalities. Find the

coordinates of any vertices formed.
0  x 3
0  y 4
2 x  3 y 9

We graph using solid lines.

The coordinates of any
vertices are: (0, 3),
(0, 4), (3, 1) and (3, 4).