4.

Definition of Linear Inequality with

What are you going One Variable
to learn?
To define inequality Consider the number of students in your class. How
To define a linear
inequality with one many students are in your class?
variable

Key Terms: If the sentence “The number of students in this

• inequality
class is less than 25 persons” is grouped according
• linear Inequality with
one variable to the phrases, we get
• solution and
solution set
English Number of
expression students in Is less than 25
this class

Mathematical Let n be the number of students in this

Expression
class, then n < 25.

Now look at Figure 4.14 below.

Max
60
Km
(i) (ii)

17 years

(iii) (iv)

Passengers cannot exceed

Maximum Passengers 15 people
6 people Figure 4.14

Mathematics for Junior High School – Year 7 / 147

 Look at Figure 4.14 that describes a real life situation.
i) it means that maximum speed is 60 km/hr.
ii) it means that the person to watch the movie must be 17
years old or more.
iii) it means that the number of passengers of the car cannot
be more than 6.
iv) it means that the maximum number of the
passengers is 15.

Work in groups or pairs.

Using Figure 4.14. Answer the following questions
1. Express your opinion, why is there a rule in each figure above?
2. Let t be the speed of a car, m be the age of visitors, s be the number
of passengers of the car, h be the number of passengers of a ship.
Write the condition of t, m, s and h in the mathematical expression.

Problem 3
Look again at your answer to Problem 2.
a). Does each requirement that you have written has a
variable?
b). How many variables are there in each requirement?
c). What is the power of the variable?
d). Which notation do you use in your answer to Problem 2?
( “=”, “≤” , “≥”, “<”, “>” )
e). In your answers to problem 2, which ones are open
sentences?

An open sentence using the sign “>”, “≥“ , “<”, or “≤” is called an
inequality.

An inequality that contains one variable of which the power is

one is called a linear inequality with one variable.

148 / Student’s Book – Linear Equations and Inequalities with One Variable
 From your answer to problem 2, which sentence is called a
linear inequality with one variable?

Figure 4.14 gives some examples of a real life situation

related to the linear inequality with one variable. Find
another example of daily life situation related to weight,
height, square, volume, report grades or others which can
be stated in a linear inequality with one variable.

Problem 4 Ida has 5 packs of writing books. Diah has 3 packs of

writing books. The number of writing books in each pack is
the same. Ida gives 3 books to Susi and Diah receives extra 9
books from her mother.
The number of Diah‘s books is more than the number of
Ida’s books. If each pack contains n pieces of books,
a). write the relation between 5n – 3 and 3n + 9.
b). find the value of n so that it holds for that relation.
c). find the value of n so that it does not hold for that
relation.

Every inequality contains variables. The substitution of a variable

that makes the sentence true is called a solution of the inequality.
The set of all solutions is called a solution set of that inequality.

-5 is a solution of the inequality 2x – 5 < -x + 2, because

2.(-5) – 5 < -(-5) + 2 is a true statement. 4 is not a solution
of the inequality 4t – 12 ³ > 2t + 1, because 4.(4) – 12 ³
>2.(4) + 1 is a false statement.

Mathematics for Junior High School – Year 7 / 149

 Solving A Linear Inequality with One
Variable

Sketching the graph of solution in a line number

Look at the following line number and then answer the
questions below.

• • • • • • • • • • •
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

What numbers are solutions of the inequality x < 3?

Is 4 a solution of that inequality?
Is 3 a solution of that inequality?
Is 2 a solution of that inequality?
Is 1 a solution of that inequality?

Is 0 a solution of that inequality?

Is -1 a solution of that inequality?

Is -2 a solution of that inequality?

Is -3 a solution of that inequality?
Can you mention all solutions of that inequality?
The solutions can be described on the following number
line.

⏐
• • • • • • • • 0
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

x = 3 on the line is not dotted because 3 is not a solution.

The graph of solution of t ≤ 3 is

150 / Student’s Book – Linear Equations and Inequalities with One Variable
 ⏐
• • • • • • • • •
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

x = 3 in the graph is dotted, because 3 is also a

solution.

Problem 5 Sketch the graph solution of the following inequality

on a number line.
a. y ≥ -1 b. m < 5 c. n ≤ 0.

Working out an Inequality by Addition or

Division
Look at statement -4 < 1. That statement is true. The
number line below shows what happens if 2 is added to
both sides.
+2 +2

• • • • • • • • • • •
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

If both sides are added by 2, then we obtain a statement -2

< 3. That statement is also true.

In the example above, adding 2 to both sides does not

change the truth value of the statement.

Now, look at statement -3 < 1. That statement is true.

The line number below shows what happens if 2 is

subtracted from both sides.

Mathematics for Junior High School – Year 7 / 151

 -2 -2

• • • • • • • • • • •
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

If 2 is subtracted from both sides, then we obtain a

statement -5 < -1. That statement is still true.

In the above example, subtracting 2 from both of sides does

not change the truth of the statement.

Add or subtract a certain number as you wish from

both sides. Are the statements that you have always
true?

Properties of addition or subtraction in an

inequality

If a certain number is added to or subtracted from both sides of

an inequality, the symbol of the inequality does not change, and
the solution does not change, either.
The new linear inequality that we get if a certain number is
added to or subtracted from both sides is called a linear
inequality equivalent to the original one.

Find the solution set of the following

Example 1
inequalities:
a. y + 2 > 6
b. x – 3 ≤ 2, x is an integer between −3 and 8.
Solution :
a. y + 2 > 6
⇔ y + 2 – 2 > 6 –2 ( 2 is subtracted from
both sides)
⇔ y>4
The graph :

152 / Student’s Book – Linear Equations and Inequalities with One Variable
 ⏐
0 •
4 5

b. x – 3 ≤ 2
⇔ x – 3 + 3 ≤ 2 + 3 ( 3 is subtracted from
both sides)
⇔ x≤5

Another way:
Because the solutions are not so many, we can check
them one by one.
x = -2 ⇒ (-2) – 3 ≤ 2 x = 3 ⇒ (3) – 3 ≤ 2
-5 ≤ 2 (true) 0 ≤ 2 (true)
x = -1 ⇒ (-1) – 3 ≤ 2 x = 4 ⇒ (4) – 3 ≤ 2
-4 ≤ 2 (true) 1 ≤ 2 (true)
x = 0 ⇒ (0) – 3 ≤ 2 x = 5 ⇒ (5) – 3 ≤ 2
-3 ≤ 2 (true) 2 ≤ 2 (true)
x = 1 ⇒ (1) – 3 ≤ 2 x = 6 ⇒ (6) – 3 ≤ 2
-2 ≤ 2 (true) 3 ≤ 2 (false)
x = 2 ⇒ (2) – 3 ≤ 2 x = 7 ⇒ (7) – 3 ≤ 2
-1 ≤ 2 (true) 4 ≤ 2 (false)

Thus, the solution is -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

In your opinion, which way is easier and more

efficient?
Comprehension Check
Find the solution set and sketch the graph of the
solution of the following inequalities.
a. w + 2 > -1

b. 8 < 5 + r
3

Mathematics for Junior High School – Year 7 / 153

 Working out Inequality by Multiplication
or Division

Work in groups.
Consider the statement 4 > 1 and the statement 8 < 12.
Those two statements are true. Fill in the blanks below.
First fill it with a suitable number, and then fill it with the
sign “<“, “>“ or “= “.

4>1
12 = 4 . 3 1. 3 = 3 (both sides are
multiplied by 3)
... = 4.2 1. 2 = . . . (both sides are
multiplied by 2)
... = 4.1 1. 1 = . . .(both sides are multiplied by 1)
... = 4.0 1. 0 = . . (both sides are multiplied by 0)
. . . = 4 . -1 1. -1 = . (both sides are multiplied by -1)
-8 = 4 . -2 1. -2 = -2 (both sides are multiplied by
-2)
. . . = 4 . -3 1. -3 = . . (both sides are multiplied by
-3)

8 < 12
... = 8:4 12 : 4 = . . . (both sides are divided by 4)
4 = 8:2 12 : 2 = 6 (both sides are divided by 2)

1 1 1
... = 8: 12 : = . . (both sides are divided by )
2 2 2

-8 = 8 : -1 12 : -1 = -12 (both sides are

divided by -1)
. . . = 8 : -2 12 : -2 = . . (both sides are divided by -2)

154 / Student’s Book – Linear Equations and Inequalities with One Variable
 . . . = 8 : -4 12 : -4 = . . .(both sides are divided by -4)

Compare the sign in the box that you have filled with
the sign of the beginning statement. What happens if
both sides are multiplied by a positive number, by
zero, or by a negative number? And what happens if
both sides are divided by a positive number, or by a
negative number?

Properties of multiplication or division on both

sides of an inequality

On an inequality:
1. if both sides are multiplied or divided by a positive number (non
zero), then the sign of the inequality does not change.
2. if both sides are multiplied or divided by a negative number (non
zero), then the sign of the inequality changes into the opposite.

Example 2 Find the solution set of the following inequalities, and

then sketch the graph of the solution on a number line.

a. x < -1.
2

b. - 2 x ≥ 2.
3
c. 4x – 2 < -2x + 10, x is an integer between -1 and 8

Solution :

a. x < -1
2

⇔ 2. x < 2. –1 (both sides are multiplied by 2, the

2
sign does not change)
⇔ x < -2.

Mathematics for Junior High School – Year 7 / 155

 The graph :

⏐
• • • 0
-5 -4 -3 -2

b. - 2 x ≥ 2.
3
⇔ 3.(- 2 x) ≥ 3.2 (both sides are multiplied by 3,
3
the sign does not change)
⇔ -2x ≥ 6
⇔ − 2x ≤ 6 (both sides are divided by –2, the
−2 −2
sign changes into the opposite)
⇔ x ≤ -3.

The graph :

⏐
• • •
-5 -4 -3

A car can carry loads not more than 2000 kg. The weight of
the driver and his assistant is 150 kg. He will lift some boxes
of goods. The weight of each box is 50 kg.
a) What is the maximum number of boxes that can be carried in
one route?
b) If he carries 350 boxes, what is the minimum number of the
route that must be done?

156 / Student’s Book – Linear Equations and Inequalities with One Variable
 1. Write an inequality that can state the following
cases.
a) The driver must be 17 years old or more.
b) There are more than 20 species of crocodile.
c) Bus passengers cannot exceed 60 people.
2. Which of the following statements is a linear inequality with
one variable? If the statement is not true, give your reason.
a) –3t + 7 ≥ t c) 2m – m < 0 c) x – x2 > 3
b) y . (y +2) > 2y – 1 d) y+y≤5
3. Find the solution set for each inequality, and then sketch the
graph of the solution on a number line.

47 7
a) x – 1 > 10 f) ≤t-
5 2
1
b) w + 4 ≤ 9 g) h - ≥ -1
2

3 1 1
c) –5 > b – 1 h) -7 + m + ≤ -2
4 2 4

3
d) + k ≥ -45 i) –3.(v – 3) ≥ 5 – 3v
2

4 2 1
e) 2 < s – 8 j) r–3<r+ - r
3 3 3

4. Critical Thinking Find the value of a so that the

inequality ax + 4 ≤ -12 has the solution presented in

the graph below.

⏐
• • • •
-5 -4 -3 -2

Mathematics for Junior High School – Year 7 / 157

158 / Student’s Book – Linear Equations and Inequalities with One Variable