Chapter 1

The Real Numbers and Inequalities

1- Real numbers
There exist a several famous sets of numbers such as:
(1) The set of natural numbers
{1 2 3 } , , ,... =
which is
closed under summation and multiplication but not
closed under subtraction.
(2) The set of integers
{0 1 2 } , , ,... =
which is closed
under summation, multiplication and subtraction but not
closed under division.
(3) The set of Rational numbers { }
:
a
a , b
b
= e e
which is closed under summation, multiplication,
subtraction and division.
Now there exist numbers can not be written in the form
a
b
that
is to say not element to

such as
... , , 3 2
. These numbers
named irrational numbers and the set of all irrational numbers
is denoted by
c

.
The union of all rational and irrational numbers is called the
set of real numbers

, i.e
c
=
.
Clearly we have
c c c
.
Remark: The division by zero is not defined.
Exercise: Prove that 2 is not a rational number.

The real line: The set of real number

can be represented
geometrically by a line, that is to say every real number represent
a point on the line and every point in the line represent a real
number as shown in the following figure

2 e t
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

We remark that the number
a
is less than the number
b
if the
point represent the number
a
lies at the left of the pont represent
the point
b
and in this case we write a b < .
Definition:(Intervals)
If , a b e such that a b < we write
] [ b , a
to represent the set
of all real numbers lies between a and b and in plus the tow
numbers a and b , i.e.
[ ] { : } a , b x a x b = e s s
We call this set the closed interval .
Also there exist another types of intervals such as:

The open interval
] [ { : } a , b x a x b = e < <
The half open or half closed interval

] ] { : } a , b x a x b = e < s
[ [ { : } a , b x a x b = e s <
Also the set of real numbers can be written as the open interval

] [ , =
Where is a grand quantity greater than any real number but it
is not a real number, and is a quantity less than any real
number but it is not a real number.
Also we defined the following unbounded intervals:

] [ { : } , a x x a = e < <
] ] { : } , a x x a = e < s
[ [ { : } a , x a x = e s <
] [ { : } a , x a x = e < <
Theorem:
If
a ,b ; a b e <
, then the open interval
[ ] b , a
contains an
infinite number of elements.
Proof: Clearly
] , [
1
n n
b a
a : a a , n a b
n

= + e c
`
+
)

which is an
infinite set of numbers.

Exercise
(1) write the following sets as intervals:

{ : 2 5} { : 1 2} A x x ; B x x = e s < = e < s
{ : 0 3} { : 5 5} C x x ; D x x = e < < = e s s
{ : 4} { : 2 5} E x x ; F x x = e > = e s <
(2) Prove that 3 e .
2- Inequalities :
We say that
b a<
if the number
a b
is positive, i.e
0 > a b
and we say that
b a s
if the number
a b
is not negative, i.e.
0 > a b
and when we use the symbols
s
, < , > and
>
in any
mathematical formula we say that it is an inequality.

Theorem: For any real numbers
d , c , b , a
, the following is true
(i) For the two numbers
b , a
, only one inequality of the
following is hold:
b a <
or
b a =
or
b a >
(ii) If
b a >
and
c b >
, then
c a >
(iii) If
c , a b e >
, then
c b c a >
(iv) If
b a >
and
0 > c
, then
c b c a >
(v) If
b a >
and 0 c < , then
ac b c <
(vi) If
0 > > b a
, then
b a
1 1
<
(vii) If
b a >
,
d c >
, then
d b c a + > +
(viii) If
0 > > b a
,
0 > > d c
, then
d b c a >
Definition: The absolute value or the Modulus
The absolute value or the Modulus of a real number
x
is
denoted by
x
and is defined by:

<
>
=
0
0
x ; x
x ; x
| x |
Which is exactly the distance from the point 0 to the point
represented by the number
x
on the real line.

Also we can define
x
by
2
x | x | =
.
As example:
5 5 5 5 5 5 ) 5 ( 5 = = = = = | | | | , | | , | |
Theorem: For every two numbers
a ,b e
, we have

b| |
| a |
|
b
a
| iv | a b | b| a | iii
a| | | a | ii | b | | a | | b a | i
= =
= =
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
Where in the case (iv) , 0 b = .
For example to see the prove of (i) we remark that
2 2 2 2 2 2
) ( | b | | a | b a b a | b a | = = =
And by taking the square root we get the result.
Remark: from the definition we get directly
| x | x | x | s s
.
Theorem: For any two numbers
a ,b e
, we have
| b | | a | | b a | i + s + ) (
| b a | | | b | | a | | iii | b | | a | | b a | ii s + s ) ( ) (
Proof:
(i) Remark that
2 2 2
2 2 2 2
) | ( 2
2 ) (
b | | a | | b | | a | | b | | a |
ab b a b a | b a |
+ = + + s
+ + = + = +
Since
) ( | b | | a | +
is positive and also
| b a | +
. By taking the
square root we get the result.
(ii) Since (i) is true for every two numbers
a ,b e
, then by
replacing
b
by
b
we get the result.
(iii) Remark that
2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2
) ( 2
2 ) (
| b a | b a b a b a
| b | | a | | b | | a | | b | | a | | | b | | a | |
= = + s
+ = =
i. e.
2
2
a b a b s
, and by taking the square root we get the
result.
Theorem: If
, x y e
such that for every positive number
0 c >
,
we have
c < | | y x
, then
y x =
.
Theorem: Let
a
be a positive number . The set of all solutions
of the inequality
a | x | s
is the interval
[ ] a , a
.
Proof. The real number x satisfying this inequality
a | x | s
if
and only if the distance between 0 and x on the real line is
less than or equal to a, and we conclude that the set of
solutions of this inequality is

[ ] { : } a , a x a x a = e s s
which can be represented on the real line as follows:
-a 0 a
Example: Find the set of all solutions of the inequality
1 3 x s .
Answer. By the previous Theorem, the set of all solutions of
the inequality 1 3 x s is given by
3 1 3 s s x
i. e.

4 2 s s x
Another method:
We have two possibility ( ) i 1 0 x > or ( ) ii 1 0 x <
( ) i when 1 0 x > , then 1 1 x x = and the given inequality
becomes
3 1 s x
, i.e.
1 4 > s x ; x
and the set of solutions in
this case is given by
] 4 1 [
1
, A =
.
( ) ii when 1 0 x < , then 1 1 x x = and the given inequality
becomes 1 3 x s , i.e. 2 x > ; 1 x < and the set of
solutions in this case is given by
[ 1 2 [
2
, A =
.
We conclude that the set of all solutions of the inequality
1 3 x s is
] 4 2 [ ] 4 1 [ [ 1 2 [
1 2
, , , A A A = = =
Theorem: Let
b
be a positive number . The set of all solutions of
the inequality x b > is the set:
[ [ ] ] = b, b , A
Proof. The real number x satisfying this inequality x b > if and
only if the distance between 0 and x on the real line is greater
than or equal to
b
, and we conclude that the set of solutions of
this inequality is
[ [ ] ] = b, b , A
.
Example: Find the set of all solutions of the inequality
2 3 > + | x |
.
Answer. By the previous theorem , the set of all solutions of the
inequality
2 3 > + | x |
is given by
5 1
2 3 2 3 2 3
s >
s + > + > +
x or x
x or x | x |
Then the set solutions is:
] 5] [ 1 [ ] 5 1[ A , , , = =
.
Example: Find all the values of x satisfying the inequality
2
2 x x + > .
Answer. The inequality
2
2 x x + >
is equivelant to
0 2
2
> +x x
. By analyzing the left hand side we get
0 ) 1 )( 2 ( > + x x
There exist two possibilities
(i) 2 0 1 0 x & x + > > , (ii) 2 0 1 0 x & x + < <
(i) This case is satisfied when
1 2 > > x , x
, which is valued
when
1 > x
as seen in the following figure :

-2 1
and the set of solutions in this case is
[ 1 ]
1
= , A
.
(ii) In this case we have
1 2 < < x , x
, which is valued when
2 < x
as seen in the following figure :

-2 1
and the set of solutions in this case is
[ 2 ]
2
= , A
.
Finally , the set of solutions is
[ 1 ] [ 2 ]
1 2
= = , , A A A
.
Remark: In the previou example, its possible to determine the
sign of each of the two values
) 2 ( ) 1 ( + x , x
on the real line, and the
inequality is valued when the two values has the same sign as
indequated below
( 2) x + + + + + + + ++ + + + + +
( 1) x + + + + +
2 1
( 2) ( 1) x x + + + + + + + + + + +
And the set of solutions is given by :
] 2[ ] 1 [ [ 2 1] A , , , = =
Example: Find all the values of x satisfying the inequality
1 1 2 > + + | x | x
.
Answer.
There exist two possibilities
(i) 1 0 x + > , (ii) 1 0 x + <
( ) i when
0 1 > + x
, then
1 1 x x + = +
and the given inequality
becomes
2 1 1 x x + + >
, i.e.
2 3 x / >
. Then we have two
conditions on x ,
1 x >
;
2 3 x / >
and the set of solutions
in this case is given by [ 3 2 ]
1
= , / A .
( ) ii when 1 0 x + < , then
1 1 x x + =
and the given
inequality becomes
2 1 1 x x >
, i.e.
0 x >
. Then we have
two conditions on x , 0 1 > < x ; x , and the set of solutions in
this case is given by
| =
2
A
(see the figure below):

0 1
We conclude that the set of all solutions of the inequality is:
[ , 3 / 2 ] [ , 3 / 2 ]
2 1
= = = | A A A
Example: Find all the values of x satisfying the inequality
1
1
1 2
3
+
<
x x
.
Answer. First of all remark that
2
1
& 1 = = x x
, and we have the
following

(3 3) (2 1)
3 3 1 1
0 0
2 1 1 2 1 1 (2 1)( 1)
4
0
(2 1)( 1)
x x
x x x x x x
x
x x
+
< < <
+ + +
+
<
+
The sign of each bracket is shown on the line as follows, and we
deduce the solution:

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + ) 4 (x
+ + + + ) 1 2 ( x
+ + + + + + + + + ) 1 (x
2 / 1 1 4
+ + + + + + + + ) 1 )( 1 2 /( ) 4 ( + + x x x
so the set of solutions is
[
2
1
1 ] [ 4 ] , ,
Example: Find all the values of x satisfying the inequality
0 ) 7 )( 1 )( 2 ( > + + x x x
.
Answer. By determine the sign of the three brackets and the
same method as the previous example we get the solution as
follows:

+ + + + + + + + + + + ) 7 (x
+ + + + + + + ) 1 (x
+ + + ) 2 (x
7 1 2
) 1 )( 1 2 /( ) 4 ( + + x x x + + ++ + + +
so the set of solutions is
[ 2 ] [ 1 7 ] = , , A
.
Remark: From the previous example we conclude that the set of
solutions of the inequality
0 ) 7 )( 1 )( 2 ( s + + x x x
is the set:
] 7] [ 1 2[ A , , =
.
Exercises
(1) Find the set of solutions of the following inequalities:

1 2 ) ( 2 3
2
1
) ( 5 11 6 ) (
6 7 ) ( 3 5 2 ) ( 0 8 2 ) (
2
2
> + + s <
< + > >
x x vi x x v | x | iv
| x | iii | x | ii x x i
(2) Find the set of solutions of the following inequalities:

4 ) ( 8 3 ) ( 1
3
2
) (
2
s < + >

x iii | x | | x | ii
x
i
2
1
3 2
1
) ( 5 ) ( 0 3 ) (
2 2
+
>

> >
x x
vi x v x iv
(3) Find the values of x satisfying the following inequalities:

1 2 ) ( 5 ) 1 ( ) 2 3 ( ) ( 0 ) 3 ( 3 ) (
4 3 3 ) ( 5 2 3 ) ( 5 5 3 ) (
2
s + < >
s + < > +
x x vi x x v x x iv
x x iii x ii x i
(4) Solve

( 1)( 2) 3 3
( ) 1 ( ) 0 ( ) 1
7 2 1
( 3)
x x x x
i ii iii
x x
x
+
< > <
+

1 1
( ) 0 ( ) 0
2 1 2 1 1
2 1
( ) | | | 1| ( ) 1
2 1
x x
iv v
x x x x
x
vi x x vii
x
> + <
+

> >
+
(5) Find the set of solutions of the following inequalities:

1 1
( ) 1 ( ) 0
2 1 2 1
1
( ) 1
1
x
i ii
x x
x
iii
x
+
> >

<
+
.