TCYonline.
com
____________________________________________________________
I
NEQUALI
TI
ES
5
x<2
Introduction
The expressions like 3x + 1 = x 3 and x2 3x = 0 are equations.
But expressions with any of the symbols, > (greater than); < (less than); (greater
than or equal to),
(
l
es
st
hanorequalt
o)ar
ecal
l
edasi
nequal
i
t
i
esori
nequat
i
ons
2
Example: 3x+1>x 3orx
3x 0
Asi
st
hecas
ewi
t
hequat
i
ons
,t
heyar
eor
der
edbydegr
eeandbyt
henumberof
unknowns
.
I
nt
heabovet
woex
ampl
es
,t
hef
i
r
s
twi
l
lbeal
i
neari
nequal
i
t
ywi
t
honeunk
nown
andt
hes
econdwi
l
lbequadr
at
i
ci
nequal
i
t
ywi
t
honeunk
nown.
Solving Inequation
Ont
hebasi
soft
hel
awsofi
nequal
i
t
y,wehavet
hef
ol
l
owi
ngwor
ki
ngr
ul
es.
1.
Rule of Addition and Subtraction: Addi
ngors
ubt
r
act
i
ngaf
i
x
ednumbert
o
eachs
i
deofani
nequal
i
t
ypr
oduc
esanequi
v
al
enti
nequal
i
t
y
.
i
.
e.a>b a c>b c
anda<b a c<b c
Exampl
e:Addi
ng2t
oeachs
i
deoft
hei
nequal
i
t
yx 2 1i
sequi
v
al
entt
o
x 3.
2.
Rule of multiplication/division by a positive number:Al
lt
er
msonbot
h
s
i
desofani
nequal
i
t
ycanbemul
t
i
pl
i
edordi
v
i
dedbyapos
i
t
i
v
enumber
.
i
.
e.a>b ac>bc
,f
oral
lc>0
anda<b ac<bc
,f
oral
lc>0
Example: I
f35x 25+5xt
hen
3.
35x 25 5x
+
7x 5+1x
.
5
5
5
Rule of multiplication/division by a negative number: I
fal
lt
er
msonbot
h
s
i
desofani
nequal
i
t
yar
emul
t
i
pl
i
edordi
v
i
dedbyanegat
i
v
enumber
,t
hes
i
gn
oft
hei
nequal
i
t
ywi
l
lber
ev
er
s
ed.
i
.
ea>b ac<bc,f
oral
lc<0
anda<b ac>bc
,f
oral
lc<0
Crack any exam easily with TCY Analytics at TCYonline.com
TCYonline.com
____________________________________________________________
Ex.
I
f6x4<8x+6t
hen
6x
4
8x
6
>
+
2 2 2 2
or3x+2>4x3
4.
Rule of reciprocation: I
ft
het
er
msonbot
ht
hes
i
desoft
hei
nequal
i
t
yhav
e
s
ames
i
gn,t
henonr
eci
pr
ocat
i
ngt
het
er
ms
,t
hes
i
gnoft
hei
nequal
i
t
ywi
l
lbe
r
ev
er
s
ed.
i
.
e.Foral
lab>0,a>b
anda<b
1 1
<
a b
1 1
>
a b
Graphing Solutions of Inequalities
Sol
v
i
ngani
nequal
i
t
ymeansdes
cr
i
bi
ngas
etnotj
us
tf
i
ndi
nganumber
.Thi
ss
eti
s
t
hes
ol
ut
i
ons
etoft
hepr
obl
em.Tov
i
s
ual
i
z
et
hes
ol
ut
i
ons
et
,dr
aw i
tont
henumber
l
i
ne.To do t
hi
s
,dr
aw t
he numberl
i
ne and s
hade t
he par
toft
he numberl
i
ne
cor
r
es
pondi
ngt
ot
hes
ol
ut
i
ons
et
.Thes
ol
ut
i
ons
ett
oas
i
ngl
ei
nequal
i
t
ywi
l
lbea
hal
fl
i
net
hatmayormaynoti
ncl
udet
heendpoi
nt
.Whent
heendpoi
nti
si
nc
l
uded,
dr
aw as
ol
i
ddotf
ort
heendpoi
nt
.Whent
heendpoi
nti
snoti
nc
l
uded,dr
aw ac
i
r
c
l
e.
Ex.
Represent the solution set of x 5 on a number line.
Sol
. Thesol
ut
i
ons
etofx 5i
sr
epr
es
ent
edbyt
hes
etofpoi
ntt
ot
hel
ef
tof5on
t
henumberl
i
ne.I
tdoesi
nc
l
udet
heendpoi
nt
,s
i
nc
ex = 5i
si
nc
l
uded.
1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Solution Sets
Thes
ol
ut
i
onofanyi
nequat
i
oni
sal
way
sex
pr
ess
edi
nas
ol
ut
i
ons
et
.Thes
es
ol
ut
i
on
t
hebas
i
sofr
equi
r
ementoft
heel
ement
scont
ai
nedi
nt
hem canbecl
as
s
i
f
i
edas
bel
ow:
a.
Whent
heendpoi
nt
sar
eexcl
uded:I
ft
hev
al
ueofxi
sdenot
edas(
1,2)
i
tmeans1<x<2i
.
e.xi
sgr
eat
ert
han1buts
mal
l
ert
han2.
b.
Whent
heendpoi
nt
sar
ei
ncl
uded
[
2,5]means2 x 5
c.
Mi
xedRanges(
whenoneoft
heendpoi
nt
si
si
ncl
uded)
(
3,21]means3<x 21
d.
I
fs
ol
ut
i
ons
et={
1,2}meansx=1and2onl
y
.
Crack any exam easily with TCY Analytics at TCYonline.com
TCYonline.com
____________________________________________________________
Ex.
Solve for x, 2x > 4
Sol
. 2x>4
Di
v
i
deby2onbot
hs
i
des
2>x
Orx<2
Gr
aphi
cal
l
y
,t
hes
ol
ut
i
oni
s
:
5
Somemor
eexampl
es:
2x>0
x+3<2
Addi
ngxweget
,2
Addi
ng3weget
,x<1
>
orx<2
Gr
aphi
c
al
l
y
,t
hes
ol
ut
i
oni
s
:
3 2 1 0 1 2 3
Gr
aphi
c
al
l
y
,t
hes
ol
ut
i
oni
s
:
3 2 1 0 1 o
2 3
4x+6 3x5
3x
2x>4
3x
x +6 5
x>2 (
Di
v
i
di
ngby2)
6 6
x
11
Gr
aphi
c
al
l
y
,t
hes
ol
ut
i
oni
s
:
Gr
aphi
c
al
l
y
,t
hes
ol
ut
i
onsi
s
:
11 10
Ex.
P is the solution set of
1 3
and R is the solution set
>
x 4
of x1 5(x 1
) , where x W. Find the set P Q.
x
Sol
.
Forf
i
ndi
ngt
hes
ol
ut
i
ons
etofPs
ol
v
et
hei
nequat
i
on,
4
1 3
x<
>
3
x 4
i
.
e.x<1.
33,butx W.
Sos
ol
ut
i
ons
etofP={
1}s
i
nc
ef
orx=0t
hei
nequat
i
oni
snotdef
i
ned
Nowf
ors
ol
ut
i
ons
etofR
1
) x1 5x5whenx 0.
x1 5(x 1
x
Sol
v
i
ngwehav
e,x 1butx 0.Hences
ol
ut
i
ons
etR={
1}
P R={
1}
.
Crack any exam easily with TCY Analytics at TCYonline.com
TCYonline.com
____________________________________________________________
Properties of inequalities
(
i
)
I
fa>bandb>c
,t
hena>c
.
(
i
i
)
I
fa>bandci
sanyr
ealnumber
,t
hena+c>b+candac>bc
.
(
i
i
i
) I
fa1>b1,a2,>b2,.
an>bn,t
hena1+a2+.
an>b1+b2+.
bn.
(
i
v
) I
fa1 >b1,a2 >b2,.
.
an >bn andt
hea
sandt
heb
sar
eal
lpos
i
t
i
v
er
eal
number
s
.Thena1.a2.
an>b1.b2.
bn.
(
v
)
Do you know?
If a1 > b1 and a2 >
I
fa>b>0,t
hen
1 1
< .
a b
(
v
i
) I
fa>b>0andni
sapos
i
t
i
v
ei
nt
eger
,
n
1/
n
1/
n
b2, then it does
t
hena >b,a <b anda >b pr
ov
i
dedi
nt
hel
as
ti
nequal
i
t
yonl
yr
eal
not necessarily
oot
sar
et
akeni
nt
oac
count
.
pos
i
t
i
v
ev
al
uesoft
henthr
follow that a1
a2 > b1 b2.
(
v
i
i
) I
fx>y>0,t
hena >a i
fa>1,anda <a i
f0<a<1.
x
(
v
i
i
i
)I
fa>b>0andx>0,t
hena >b.
Tr
yyour
sel
f
1.
2.
I
fx>5andy<1,t
henwhi
choft
hef
ol
l
owi
ngs
t
at
ement
si
st
r
ue?
(
A)(
x+4y
)>1
(
B)x>4y
(
C)4x<5y
(
D)4xy>21
(
E)x+y>4
xandyar
er
ealnumber
ss
at
i
s
f
y
i
ngt
hecondi
t
i
ons2<x<3and
8<y<7.Whi
choft
hef
ol
l
owi
ngex
pr
es
s
i
onswi
l
lhav
et
hel
eas
tv
al
ue?
2
(
A)xy
3.
(
B)x
y
(
C)5x
y
22
(
D)xy
(
E)x
y
Fi
ndt
hegr
eat
es
ti
nt
egerXf
orwhi
ch6X+1>30.
(
A)5
(
B)6
(
C)7
(
D)8
(
E)10
Crack any exam easily with TCY Analytics at TCYonline.com
TCYonline.com
____________________________________________________________
Absolute value and inequalities
Theabsol
ut
ev
al
ue|
x
|
,r
eadast
hemodul
usofxofar
ealnumberxi
st
hedi
s
t
ance
ofxf
r
om t
hez
er
o(
or
i
gi
n)ont
henumberl
i
ne.
I
ti
sdef
i
nedas
|
x
|=xi
fx 0and|
x
|=x
,i
fx<0.
Thus
,|
x
| 0;|
x
|=|
x
|
Basi
cr
ul
es:
(
a) I
f|
x
|=c
x={
c,c}
(
b) I
f|
x
|>c
x>corx<c
(
c) I
fx <c
c<x<c.
Ex.
What is the solution set of equation x2+ 5x+ 6> 0?
Sol
. Case1:I
fx 0,t
hen |
x
|=x
2
x +5x+6>0
Sowehav
e,
(
x+2)(
x+3)>0
Whenbot
hpos
i
t
i
v
eweget
,x>2 butx 0
Hences
ol
ut
i
ons
et={
x|x 0andx R}
(
1)
Whenbot
hnegat
i
v
est
henwehav
e,x<3butxi
spos
i
t
i
v
e.
So,nos
ol
ut
i
on.
Case2:I
fx<0,t
hen|
x
|=x
2
Wehav
e, x 5x+6>0
(
x2)(
x3)>0
Sol
v
i
ngt
hei
nequal
i
t
ywewi
l
lhav
e x>3 orx<2buther
ex<0
Sos
ol
ut
i
ons
et={
x|x<0&x R}(
2)
Fr
om equat
i
on 1 and 2 we hav
e x R i
st
he s
ol
ut
i
on oft
he gi
v
en
equat
i
on.
Toolkit
(
i
)
(
i
i
)
|
xa|=xai
fx>aand|
xa|=ax
,i
fx<a
I
fb>0,t
hen|xa|<b b<xa<borab<x<a+b
I
npar
t
i
cul
ar
,i
fb>0,t
hen|
x
|<b b<x<b
(
i
i
i
) |
xa|>b xa>borax>b
x>a+borx<ab
(
i
v
) |
xa|=b xa=borax=b x=a+borx=ab
(
v
)
|
a+b| |
a|+|
b|
,i
.
e.(
s
um) s
um ofmodul
i
(
v
i
) |
ab| |
a||
b|
Crack any exam easily with TCY Analytics at TCYonline.com
TCYonline.com
____________________________________________________________
Ex.
Sol
.
Solve |2x + 3| < 6.
Si
ncet
hi
si
sa"
l
es
st
han"abs
ol
ut
ev
al
uei
nequal
i
t
y
,t
hef
i
r
s
ts
t
epi
st
ocl
ear
t
heabs
ol
ut
ev
al
ueaccor
di
ngt
ot
hepat
t
er
n:
|
2x +3|<6
6<2x +3<6
63<2x +33<63
9<2x <3
/
hent
hes
ol
ut
i
ont
o|
2x +3|<6i
st
hei
nt
er
v
al
2<x < /
2T
9
3
< x< .
2
2
Best approach to solve the inequality questions is to approach the
questions by options.
Ex. Sol
ut
i
onoft
hei
nequal
i
t
y:|
x+2|>|
3x5|i
s
3
7
(
A) <x<
2
2
3
7
(
B) <x<
4
2
1
(
C) <x<1
2
3
7
(
D) >x>
4
2
(
E)3<x<7
Sol
. Pi
ckanyopt
i
on&checkanyv
al
ueofxsat
i
s
f
y
i
ngt
hei
nequal
i
t
y
.
Letust
akex=2whi
chl
i
esi
nopt
i
on(
A)& (
B)
,I
fx=2s
at
i
s
f
i
est
hegi
v
en
equat
i
ont
henoneoutof(
A)or(
B)i
st
heans
werot
her
wi
s
eoneoutof(
C)or
(
D)i
st
heans
wer
.
3/
4
3/
2
7/
4
Putx=2i
n|
x+2|>|
3x5|weget
4>1whi
chi
st
r
ues
ochoi
c
e(
C)&(
D)c
anbeel
i
mi
nat
ed
Putx=1weget
3>2whi
chi
st
r
ueandx=1i
sonl
ypar
tofopt
i
on(
B)
.Soans
weri
s(
B)
.
Tr
yyour
sel
f
1.
Whati
st
hepos
s
i
bl
es
ol
ut
i
ons
etort
hei
nequal
i
t
y
?
3x15>4(
2x+3)
2.
Sol
v
ef
orp
p3(
p+4)<14
3.
Whatcanbet
hes
ol
ut
i
onofx
?
x 3< 7
4.
Whatanex
pr
ess
i
onf
ort
hef
ol
l
owi
ngs
ent
ence?
Twi
ceoft
henumberi
ncr
eas
edby12i
smor
et
han4t
i
mesofnumber
decr
eas
edby1
Crack any exam easily with TCY Analytics at TCYonline.com
