TOPIC 1

ABSOLUTE VALUE; LINEAR COORDINATE SYSTEMS;

INEQUALITIES
INTRODUCTION

Prior to the year 1600, geometry as developed by the Greeks and

algebra as developed by Hindus, Moslems, and Persians were two
completely unrelated mathematical disciplines. They remained so
until 1637 when Rene Descartes (1596-1650), a renowned French
mathematician and philosopher, published a treaties La Geometrie in
which he introduced the concept of coordinate systems. He indicated
how, by using coordinates, it was possible to represent geometric
configurations by equations, and vice versa. This important discovery
made it possible to use algebraic or analytic methods in geometry
and as a result les to the development of a far more comprehensive theory of geometry,
called analytic geometry.

Thirty Years after the origin of analytic geometry, two other

prominent mathematicians, Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) and
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz (1646-1716), developed independently
another new and revolutionary idea in mathematics. This new concept
dealt with the notion of limits, that is, with the values approached by
non-finite sequences of numbers. This theory of limits is the basis for
we now call calculus.

The advent of these two significant contributions marks the beginning of modern
mathematics.

VARIABLES

The Set of Real Numbers consists of the rational numbers (the fractions a /b , where a and b
are integers) and the irrational numbers (such as √2 = 1.4142 . . . and 𝜋 = 3.14159 . . .),
which are not ratios of integers. Imaginary numbers, of the form x + y√−1, will not be
considered. Since no confusion can result, the word number will always mean real number
here.

The Absolute Value |𝑥 | of a number x is defined as follows:

|𝑥 | = 𝑥 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 𝑖𝑠 0 𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟

Math 101A – Differential Calculus | Instructor: Engr. Novel Keith T. Solis 1

 |𝑥 | = −𝑥 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟

Example:

|3| = |−3| 𝑎𝑛𝑑 |0| = 0

In general, if x and y are any two numbers, then

− |𝑥 | ≤ 𝑥 ≤ |𝑥 |

− |𝑥 | = |𝑥 | and |𝑥 − 𝑦 | = |𝑦 − 𝑥 |

|𝑥 | = |𝑦| implies 𝑥 = ± 𝑦

𝑥 |𝑥 |
|𝑥𝑦| = |𝑥 | ∙ |𝑦| | |= 𝑖𝑓 𝑦 ≠ 0
𝑦 |𝑦 |

|𝑥 + 𝑦| ≤ |𝑥 | + |𝑦| (Triangle Inequality)

A Linear Coordinate System is a graphical representation of the real numbers as the points
of a straight line. To each number corresponds one and only one point, and conversely.

To set up a linear coordinate system on a given line: (1) select any point of the line as the
origin (corresponding to 0); (2) choose a positive direction (indicated by an arrow); and
(3) choose a fixed distance as a unit of measure. If x is a positive number, find the point
corresponding to x by moving a distance of x units from the origin in the positive direction.
If x is negative, find the point corresponding to x by moving a distance of |x| units from the
origin in the negative direction. (See Fig. 1-1.)

The number assigned to a point on such a line is called the coordinate of that point. We
often will make no distinction between a point and its coordinate. Thus, we might refer to
“the point 3” rather than to “the point with coordinate 3.”

If points P, and P2 on the line have coordinates x1 rind x2 (as in Fig. 1-2), then

|x, — x2| = → = distance between P, and P2

𝑃1 𝑃2

As a special case, if x is the coordinate of a point P, then

|x| = distance between P and the origin

Math 101A – Differential Calculus | Instructor: Engr. Novel Keith T. Solis 2

Finite Intervals. Let n and # be two points such that a < b. By the open interval (a, b) we
mean the set of all points between a and b, that is, the set of all x such that a < x < b. By the
closed interval [𝑎, 𝑏]we mean the set of all points between a and b or equal to a or b, that is,
the set of all x such that a ≤ 𝑥 ≤ b. (See Fig. 1-3.) The points a and b are called the endpoints
of the intervals (a, b) and [𝑎, 𝑏].

By a half-open interval we mean an open interval (a, b) together with one of its endpoints.
There are two such intervals: [a, b) is the set of all x such that a ≤ 𝑥 < b, and (a, b] is the set
of all x such that a < x ≤ b.

For any positive number c,

|𝑥 | ≤ 𝑐 𝑖𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑓 − 𝑐 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑐

|𝑥 | < 𝑐 𝑖𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑓 − 𝑐 < 𝑥 < 𝑐

See Fig. 1-4.

Infinite Intervals. Let a be any number. The set of all points x such that a < x is denoted by
(a, ∞) the set of all points x such that a ≤ x is denoted by [a, ∞). Similarly, (- ∞ >, b) denotes
the set of all points x such that x < b, and (-∞ , b] denotes the set of all x such that x ≤ 𝑏.

Inequalities such as 2x — 3 > 0 and 5 < 3x + 10 ≤ 16 define intervals on a line, with respect
to a given coordinate system.

Math 101A – Differential Calculus | Instructor: Engr. Novel Keith T. Solis 3

Examples:

1. Solve 2x — 3 > 0.

Solution:

2x — 3 > 0

2x -3 > 0 (Adding 3)

x > 3/2 (Dividing by 2)

Thus, the corresponding interval is (3/2 ; ∞ ).

2. Solve 5 < 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟏𝟎 ≤ 𝟏𝟔

Solution:

5 < 3𝑥 + 10 ≤ 16

-5 < 3𝑥 ≤ 6 (Subtracting 10)

-5/3 < 𝑥 ≤ 2 (Dividing by 3)

Thus, the corresponding interval is (-5/3 ; 2 ]

3. Solve -2x + 3 < 𝟕

Solution:

-2x + 3 < 7

-2x < 4 (Subtracting 3)

𝑥 > −2 (Dividing by -2)

Note, in the last step, that division by a negative number reverses an inequality (as does
multiplication by a negative number.)

4. Describe and diagram the following intervals, and write their interval notation:
(a) - 3 < x < 5
(b) 2≤ x ≤ 6
(c) - 4 < x ≤ 0
(d) x > 5
(e) x ≤ 2

Math 101A – Differential Calculus | Instructor: Engr. Novel Keith T. Solis 4

 Solutions:

(a) All numbers greater than — 3 and less than 5; the interval notation is ( — 3, 5):

(b) All numbers equal to or greater than 2 and less than or equal to 6; [2, 6]:

(c)All numbers greater than — 4 and less than or equal to 0; (— 4, 0]:

(d) All numbers greater than 5; (5, ∞ ).

(e ) All numbers less than or equal to 2; (-∞, 2]:

5. Describe and diagram the intervals determined by the following inequalities:

(a) |z| < 2
(b) |z|> 3
(c) |z — 3| < 1
(d) |x + 2| ≤ 3

Solutions:

(a) This is equivalent to — 2 < z < 2, defining the open interval (— 2, 2):

—2 2

(b) This is equivalent to x > 3 or x < - 3, defining the union of the infinite intervals (3,
∞) and (- ∞ , -3).

—3 3

(c) This is equivalent to saying that the distance between z and 3 is less than 1, or that 2
< x < 4, which defines the open interval (2, 4):

Math 101A – Differential Calculus | Instructor: Engr. Novel Keith T. Solis 5

(d) |x + 2| < 3 is equivalent to — 3 < x + 2 < 3. Subtracting 2, we obtain — 5 < x < 1,
which defines the open interval (— 5, 1):

—5 1

Math 101A – Differential Calculus | Instructor: Engr. Novel Keith T. Solis 6