Compound Inequalities

Note: I strongly suggest that you first read the document called "Intersections and Unions of Inequalities" before reading this document. If that document is not attached in this conference then please look for it in a previous conference. Thank you.

Compound inequalities come in three types: Type 1: two inequalities are separated by the word "and". Type 2: two inequalities are separated by the word "or". Type 3: a single inequality in the form of "a < bx + c < d".

Type 1

This type could be easily solved. Just solve the two inequalities separately and then find the intersection of the two solution sets.

Example 1:

3x + 1 < 7 and 4 x 2 > 2 3 x + 1 < 7 and 4 x 2 > 2 3x < 6 4x > 0 x<2 x>0 Finding the intersection of two sets is explained in the "Intersections and Unions of Inequalities" document. The solution is { x 0 < x < 2}

Solution:

Example 2: 2 x + 3 > 1 and 3x 4 < 1 2 x + 3 > 1 and 3x 4 < 1 2 x > 2 3x < 3 x > 1 x <1 Finding the intersection will give the solution { x 1 < x < 1}

Solution:

Example 3:

4 x 3 > 5 and 3x + 1 > 2 4 x 3 > 5 and 3x + 1 > 2 4x > 8 3 x > 3 x>2 x <1 The intersection of the two solution sets is the empty set . This means that there are no real numbers that will satisfy both inequalities.

Solution:

Type 2

This type could also be easily solved. Again solve the two inequalities separately but this time we find the union of the solution sets. Finding the union of two sets is explained in the "Intersections and Unions of Inequalities" document.

Example 4:

2 x 1 > 3 or 3x 4 < 7 2 x 1 > 3 or 3x 4 < 7 2x > 4 3x < 3 x>2 x < 1 Finding the union will give the solution { x x > 2 or x < 1}

Solution:

Example 5:

4 x 3 < 5 or 2 x + 5 < 7 4 x 3 < 5 or 2 x + 5 < 7 4x < 8 2x < 2 x<2 x > 1 The union of the two solution sets is the set of all real numbers. This means that any real number is a solution of this compound inequality.

Solution:

Type 3

This type of inequality could easily be solved as long as the variable appears only in the middle part of the inequality. We want to isolate the variable in that middle part of the inequality and to do that we need to remember that whatever you do to the middle part you should also do to the left as well as to the right part of the inequality.

Example 6:

2 < 5x 7 < 3 2 < 5 x 7 < 3 add 7 to each of the 3 parts 5 < 5 x < 10 divide each of the 3 parts by 5 1< x < 2 The solution is { x 1 < x < 2}

Solution:

Example 7:

3 < 2 x + 1 < 3

Solution:

3 < 2 x + 1 < 3 subtract 1 from each of the 3 parts 4 < 2 x < 2 divide each of the 3 parts by a "2" 2 > x > 1 dividing by a negative will switch both inequality symbols The solution { x 2 > x > 1} is technically correct but we prefer to use only the "less than" symbols when presenting answers of this type of inequality. It's also how we see this on the real line; the solution is between the -1 and the 2 with the smaller number, the -1, on the left and the larger number, the 2, on the right. So this solution could also be written as: { x 1 < x < 2}