Problem

Student Name : Student Date: 04/25/2024 10:20 PM

Marcofragoso0
Login Name : SMARCOFRAGOSO0 Class Name : PreCalculus and
Problem Solving

Polynomial and Rational Functions

Solving a quadratic inequality written in factored form

SAMPLE QUESTION

Graph the solution to the following inequality on the number line.

x−6 x+1 <0

-11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

EXPLANATION

We need to find all values of x that make the product x − 6 x + 1 negative.

To find these values, we do a sign analysis.

We first look at the sign of x−6 .

If x = 6, then x−6 is 0.
If x < 6, then x−6 is negative.
If x > 6, then x−6 is positive.

We show this on the number line.

sign of x − 6 : − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − 0 +++++

We then look at the sign of x+1 .

If x = − 1, then x + 1 is 0.
 If x < − 1, then x + 1 is negative.
If x > − 1, then x + 1 is positive.
−1 6

sign of x − 6 : − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − 0 +++++
sign of x + 1 : − − − − − − − − − − 0 ++++++++++++

Finally, to find the sign of x−6 x+1 , we use the rules for the sign of a product.
−1 6

sign of x − 6 : − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − 0 +++++
sign of x + 1 : − − − − − − − − − − 0 ++++++++++++

positive 0 negative 0 positive

product product product

So, we have x − 6 x + 1 < 0 when − 1 < x and x < 6.

Note that for x = − 1 and x = 6, the product x − 6 x + 1 is 0 and so these values are not part of the
solution.

We graph the solution on the number line as follows.

ANSWER

-11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11