ExpertinMaths: Inequalities

INEQUALITIES

In this section, you will learn how so solve inequalities. "Solving'' an inequality means finding all of its solutions. A "solution'' of an inequality is a number which when substituted for the variable makes the inequality a true statement.

Here is an example: Consider the inequality

When we substitute 8 for x, the inequality becomes 8-2 > 5. Thus, x=8 is a solution of the inequality. On the other hand, substituting -2 for x yields the false statement (-2)-2 > 5. Thus x = -2 is NOT a solution of the inequality. Inequalities usually have many solutions.
As in the case of solving equations, there are certain manipulations of the inequality which do not change the solutions. Here is a list of "permissible'' manipulations:

: Rule 1. Adding/subtracting the same number on both sides.; Example: The inequality x-2>5 has the same solutions as the inequality x > 7. (The second inequality was obtained from the first one by adding 2 on both sides.)
: Rule 2. Switching sides and changing the orientation of the inequality sign.; Example: The inequality 5-x> 4 has the same solutions as the inequality 4 < 5 - x. (We have switched sides and turned the ``>'' into a ``<'').

Let's solve some inequalities:

Example 1: step by step
Consider the inequality:

The basic strategy for inequalities and equations is the same: isolate x on one side, and put the "other stuff" on the other side. Following this strategy, let's move +5 to the right side. We accomplish this by subtracting 5 on both sides (Rule 1) to obtain

after simplification we obtain

Once we divide by +2 on both sides (Rule 3a), we have succeeded in isolating x on the left:

or simplified,

All real numbers less than 1 solve the inequality. We say that the "set of solutions'' of the inequality consists of all real numbers less than 1. In interval notation, the set of solutions is the interval