INEQUALITIES

Equation: An equation is a statement that maintains the equal value of two

mathematical expressions, only has one answer.

Origin of the Term: Inequality

The term ‘inequality’ comes from the Old French word inequalité and the Latin
word inequalitas, meaning ‘unequal, unlike, different’ and changeable. This term is
used to compare the magnitude, number, and intensity of two values or expressions.

An inequality, on the other hand, is a statement that uses the symbols > for greater
than or < for lesser than to denote that one quantity is larger or smaller in value than
another.

Summary

1. An equation is a mathematical statement that shows the equal value of two

expressions while an inequality is a mathematical statement that shows that an
expression is lesser than or more than the other.

2. An equation shows the equality of two variables while an inequality shows the
inequality of two variables.

3. Although both can have several different solutions, an equation only has one
answer for each variable while an inequality can have several.
Real life examples of inequalities

 Speed limit on the road is 30 mph which can be expressed by the inequality
Speed ≤ 30 mph

 Maximum capacity of a container is 5 liters

Volumen ≤ 5 lt

 Children should not be less than 4 feet tall to ride the roller coaster
Child´s height > 4 feet
  A plane has to fly at an altitude of 500 m above sea level or higher
Plane flying level ≥ 500 m

Intervals

Interval Notation is a way of expressing a subset of real numbers by the numbers that
bound them. We can use this notation to represent inequalities.

Open Interval

This type of interval does not include the endpoints of the inequality.

−∞
( −∞, 5)
Closed Interval

This type of interval includes the endpoints of the inequality.

−∞
(−∞, − 1]

Half-Open Interval

This type of interval includes only one of the endpoints of the inequality.

[−2, 4)

OPEN AND CLOSED INTERVALS

OPEN INTERVAL CLOSED INTERVAL

An open interval does not include its A closed interval is an interval which
endpoints. includes all its limit points.
INTERVAL INTERVAL
SIGN GRAPH SIGN GRAPH
NOTATION NOTATION
< ( ) ≤ [ ]
> ( ) ≥ [ ]
Examples

WRITING AND GRAPHING SIMPLE INEQUALITIES

Inequality Word Sentence Graph Interval notation

x>3 x is greater than 3 ( 3, ∞)

∞

x is greater than or
x≥3 [ 3, ∞)
equal to 3 ∞

x<3 x is less than 3 (− ∞, 3)

−∞

x is less than or
x≤3 (− ∞, 3]
equal to 3
−∞

Converting Inequality to Interval Notation

Follow the steps mentioned below to convert an inequality to interval notation:

1. Graph the solution set of the interval on a numbered line.

2. Write the numbers in the interval notation with the smaller numbers appearing
first on the numbered line on the left.

3. If the set is unbounded on the left, use the symbol "−∞" and if it is unbounded
on right, use the symbol "∞". (∞ this symbol means infinity)
Compound inequality

A compound inequality is actually two or more inequalities in one statement joined by

the word “and” or by the word “or.” Compound inequalities with the logical “or”
require that either condition must be satisfied. Therefore, the solution set of this type
of compound inequality consists of all the elements of the solution sets of each
inequality. When we join these individual solution sets it is called the union,
denoted ∪.

Example 1: the solutions to the compound inequality x < 3 or x ≥ 6 can be graphed as

follows:

Sometimes we encounter compound inequalities where the separate solution sets

overlap. In the case where the compound inequality contains the word “or,” we
combine all the elements of both sets to create one set containing all the elements of
each.

Example 2: Graph and give the interval notation equivalent: x ≤ −1 or x <3.

Solution: Combine all solutions of both inequalities. The solutions to each inequality
are sketched above the number line as a means to determine the union, which is
graphed on the number line below.

Answer: Interval notation: (−∞, 3)

Any real number less than 3 in the shaded region on the number line will satisfy at least
one of the two given inequalities.

Example 3: Graph and give the interval notation equivalent: x < 3 or x ≥ −1.

Solution: Both solution sets are graphed above the union, which is graphed below.

Answer: Interval notation: (−∞, ∞)

When you combine both solution sets and form the union, you can see that all real
numbers satisfy the original compound inequality.

Bounded Intervals

An inequality such as

reads “−1 one is less than or equal to x and x is less than three.” This is a compound
inequality because it can be decomposed as follows:

The logical “and” requires that both conditions must be true. Both inequalities are
satisfied by all the elements in the intersection, denoted ∩, of the solution sets of each.

Example 3: Graph and give the interval notation equivalent: x < 3 and x ≥−1.
Solution: Determine the intersection, or overlap, of the two solution sets. The solutions
to each inequality are sketched above the number line as a means to determine the
intersection, which is graphed on the number line below.

−1 ≤ x < 3
Answer: Interval notation: [−1, 3)

Alternatively, we may interpret −1 ≤ x < 3 as all possible values for x between or

bounded by −1 and 3 on a number line. For example, one such solution is x =1. Notice
that 1 is between −1 and 3 on a number line, or that −1 < 1 < 3. Since there are
infinitely many real numbers between −1 and 3, we must express the solution
graphically and/or with interval notation, in this case [−1, 3).

In summary,
Solving inequalities

Solving inequalities is very similar to solving equations, because we perfom most of the
same operations on both sides of the equation .

These things do not affect the direction of the inequality:

 Add (or subtract) a number from both sides

 Multiply (or divide) both sides by a positive number
 Simplify one side

But these things do change the direction of the inequality ("<" becomes ">" for
example):

 Multiply (or divide) both sides by a negative number

 Swapping left and right hand sides.

Here are the steps for solving inequalities:

Step - 1: Write the inequality as an equation

Step - 2: Solve the equation for one or more values.
Step - 3: Represent all the values on the number line.
Step - 4: Represent all excluded values on the number line using open circles.
Step - 5: Identify the intervals.
Step - 6: Take a random number from each interval, substitute it in the inequality
and check whether the inequality is satisfied.
Step - 7: Intervals that are satisfied are the solutions.

Example # 1 What is the solution of 2x + 7 < 17? Graph the solution and write
the solution in interval notation.
2x + 7 − 7 < 17 − 7
2x < 10
2 2
x < 5

(−∞ , 5 )
Example #2 What is the solution of −3x + 4 < 16? Graph the solution and write
the solution in interval notation.
−3x + 4 − 4 < 16 − 4

Multiply (or divide) both sides by a negative number change the direction of the
inequality.
−3x > 12
−3 −3

x > −4

(−4, ∞)

Example # 3 What is the solution of 15 ≥ 3x? Graph the solution and write the
solution in interval notation.
15 ≥ 3x

Swapping the variable to the other side will change the direction of the inequality.

3x ≤ 15
3 3
x ≤ 5

(−∞, 5]
Solving compound inequalities
You can join two inequalitites with de word “and ” or the word “or” to form a compound
inequality.

To solve a compound inequality containing or, find all values of the variable that make al least
one of the inequalities true.

Example # 1 What is the solution of 3(x - 2) < 9 or 3(x - 2) ≥ 15? Graph the solution and
write the solution in interval notation.

3(x - 2) < 9 or 3(x - 2) ≥ 15

3x – 6 < 9 3x – 6 ≥ 15
3x – 6 + 6 < 9 + 6 3x – 6 + 6 ≥ 15 + 6
3x < 15 3x ≥ 21
3 3 3 3
x<5 x ≥ 7

−∞ ∞
(−∞, 5) U [7, ∞)

To solve a compound inequality containing and, find all values of the variable that makes both
the inequalities true.

Example # 2 Solve 6x – 3 < 9 and 2x + 7 ≥ 3 Graph the solution and write the solution in
interval notation.
6x – 3 < 9 or 2x + 9 ≥ 3
6x – 3 + 3 < 9 + 3 2x + 9 – 9 ≥ 3 – 9
6x < 12 2x ≥ – 6
6x < 12 2x ≥ – 6
6 6 2 2
x<2 x ≥–3

[-3, 2)
A double inequality is a compound inequality such as a < x < b. It is equivalent to
a < x and x < b.

Example # 3

What is the solution of 4 ≤ 2x + 2 ≤ 8? Graph the solution and write the solution in
interval notation.

4 ≤ 2x + 2 ≤ 8

To solve a double inequality we perform the same operation on all three parts of the double
inequality with the goal of isolating the variable in the center.

4 − 2 ≤ 2x + 2 − 2 ≤ 8 – 2
2 ≤ 2x ≤ 6
2 2 2
1≤ x ≤ 3

−∞ ∞

[ 1, 3 ]

The previous inequality could have been solved like Example #2 by separating the
double inequality 4 ≤ 2x + 2 ≤ 8 in the following way:
2x + 2 ≤ 4 and 2x + 2 ≤ 8.