Month: April 2020

What is an inequality?

An inequality is when both sides of an equation are not equal to each other, so a is not equal to b. For example 3+4 ≠ 9.

What do these symbols mean? <, >, ≥, ≤

> greater than. For example 5>4,

<  less than. For example 4<6

≥ greater than or equal to. For example x < 6

> less than or equal to. For example x >4

How to solve

Get rid of fractions by multiplying all terms by the least common denominator of all fractions. Or you can do it with fraction you put a common denominator.

Simplify by combining like terms on each side of the inequality.

Add or subtract numbers to both sides because you have to do the same thing to both sides or it doesn’t work.

When you divide by a negative you have to flip the inequality sign.

1. I subtracted 1 from both sides.
2. I got the answer because x was by itself.

Check

How to graph

If it’s larger/smaller or equal to you fill in the dot that you put on the number line. If x is bigger then the number and the number is 3 x could be 4, 5… or any number bigger then 3, and if its bigger than or equal to you can put it on 3 because it could also be 3. You do the same thing if the number is smaller you just go the other way, so if the number was 3 it could be 2, 1, -5 or any number smaller.