Chapter 2: Equations,

Inequalities and Absolute Values

2.2 Inequalities

2.3 (c) Solve absolute inequalities

Prepared by: kwkang

 Learning Outcomes
2.2 (a) Relate the properties of inequalities.
(b) Find the linear inequalities.
(c) Find the quadratic inequalities by
algebraic or graphical approach.
(d) Find the rational inequalities involving
linear expression.
2.3 (c) Solve absolute inequalities.

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 Inequalities
Inequalities

One side Two sides

Linear Non- Linear
Modulus Modulus

Example: Example: Example: Example:

x9  4 2x2  x  6 x 3 1 x  5  3x  3
6 2x  5  7
3x  8  4  5 x 5x  4  2 x 1
x
2𝑥 − 3
≤2
𝑥−1
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Remembering
 Linear Inequalities
Step of Solving Linear Inequalities
Step 1: Solve directly.

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Remembering

 Example
Solve the following inequalities.
(a) 11 2x  3x  2

(b) x  20  3x  8  4

Bloom: Understanding
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 Solution
(a) 11 2x  3x  2
11  2 x  3x  6 Expanding the right hand side (RHS)

11  6  3x  2 x Collecting the x terms and the

constant terms
5  5x Finish solving by isolating the
variable.
1 x
x 1
 Interval is 1,  .
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding
 Solution
(b) x  20  3x  8  4
Separate the inequality into two inequalities
𝒙 − 𝟐𝟎 ≤ 𝟑𝒙 − 𝟖 and 𝟑𝒙 − 𝟖 < 𝟒
8−𝟐𝟎 ≤ 𝟑𝒙 −x 𝟑𝒙 < 𝟒 + 𝟖
-12≤ 𝟐𝒙 𝟑𝒙 < 𝟏𝟐
- 6≤ 𝒙 𝒙<𝟒

-6 4
∴ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒔 ሾ−𝟔, 𝟒ሻ.
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding
 Non-Linear Inequalities
Steps of Solving Non-Linear Inequalities
(quadratic inequalities or rational inequalities)
Step 1: Rearrange Right Hand Side (RHS) equal to ZERO.
Step 2: Try to factorize till simplest form.
Step 3: Use TABLE OF SIGN to determine the answer in solution
set or interval form.

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Remembering

 Example
Solve the inequality of 𝒙𝟐 < 𝟗 .
Solution:
𝒙𝟐 < 𝟗
𝒙𝟐 − 𝟗 < 𝟎 Rearrange RHS=0
𝒙+𝟑 𝒙−𝟑 < 𝟎 Factorize till simplest form
Assuming both factors are
𝒙 + 𝟑 > 𝟎 and 𝒙 − 𝟑 > 𝟎
positive

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Solution
Table of sign
𝒙 < −𝟑 −𝟑 < 𝒙 < 𝟑 𝒙>𝟑
𝒙+𝟑 - + +
𝒙−𝟑 - - +
+ - +
Final answer is positive or negative depends on the step
before Assuming both factors are positive
𝒙+𝟑 𝒙−𝟑 < 𝟎 Less than zero,
so circle -
∴ Solution set is 𝒙: −𝟑 < 𝒙 < 𝟑 .
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding
 Example
𝟔
Solve the inequality of 𝒙
> 𝟓 − 𝒙.
Solution:
𝟔
>𝟓−𝒙
𝒙
𝟔
−𝟓+𝒙>𝟎 Rearrange RHS=0
𝒙
𝟔 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝒙𝟐 Find the common denominator
>𝟎
𝒙

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Solution
𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓𝒙 + 𝟔
>𝟎 Rewrite in the general form
𝒙
𝒙−𝟐 𝒙−𝟑 Factorize till simplest form
>𝟎
𝒙
𝒙−𝟐>𝟎 , 𝒙−𝟑>𝟎 , 𝒙>𝟎 Assuming all the factors
are positive

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Solution
Table of sign
𝒙 <0 0<𝒙<𝟐 2 < 𝒙 <3 𝒙>𝟑
𝒙 - + + +
𝒙−𝟐 - - + +
𝒙−𝟑 - - - +
- + - +

Final answer is positive or negative depends on the step

before Assuming all factors are positive
𝒙−𝟐 𝒙−𝟑 Greater than zero,
>𝟎 so circle +
𝒙
∴ Solution set is 𝒙: 𝟎 < 𝒙 < 𝟐 ∪ 𝒙 > 𝟑 .
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding
 One Side Modulus Inequalities
Steps of Solving One Side Modulus Inequalities
Step 1: Rearrange the inequality in the general form.
𝒙 < 𝒂, 𝒙 > 𝒂, 𝒙 ≤ 𝒂, 𝒙 ≥ 𝒂
Step 2: Eliminate the modulus by using definition.
Step 3: Rearrange Right Hand Side (RHS) equal to ZERO.
Step 4: Try to factorize till simplest form.
Step 5: Use TABLE OF SIGN to determine the answer in solution
set or interval form.

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Remembering

 One Side Modulus Inequalities
Definition of modulus inequalities
Inequality Equivalent form Representation

𝒙 >𝒂 𝒙 > 𝒂 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 < −𝒂 -a a

𝒙 ≥𝒂 𝒙 ≥ 𝒂 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 ≤ −𝒂
-a a

𝒙 <𝒂 −𝒂 < 𝒙 < 𝒂 -a a

𝒙 ≤𝒂 −𝒂 ≤ 𝒙 ≤ 𝒂 -a a
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Remembering
 Example
Solve the following inequalities.

(aሻ 𝑥 − 3 < 1

(b) 2𝑥 + 5 ≥ 7

(c) 2𝑥 − 3 ≤ 2
𝑥−1
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding
 Solution
(a) 𝑥 − 3 < 1
−1 < 𝑥 − 3 < 1 Eliminating modulud by using
definition.
−1 + 3 < 𝑥 < 1 + 3 Adding 3 to both sides.
2<𝑥<4

2 4

The solution set is 𝑥: 2 < 𝑥 < 4

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Solution
(b) 2𝑥 + 5 ≥ 7
Eliminating
2𝑥 + 5 ≥ 7 or 2𝑥 + 5 ≤ −7 modulus by using
definition.
2𝑥 ≥ 2 or 2𝑥 ≤ −12 Solving each
inequality
𝑥 ≥ 1 or 𝑥 ≤ −6 separately.

-6 1
The solution interval is ൫−∞, −6ሿ ∪ ሾ1, ∞ሻ.
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding
 Solution
2𝑥 − 3
(c) 𝑥−1
≤2

𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑 Eliminating modulus
−𝟐 ≤ ≤𝟐
𝒙−𝟏 by using definition.

𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑 Writing double
−𝟐 ≤ and ≤𝟐 inequality as two
𝒙−𝟏 𝒙−𝟏 inequalities.

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Solution (continue…)
1. Solving the first inequality:
𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑
−𝟐 ≤
𝒙−𝟏
𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑
+𝟐≥𝟎 Rearranging RHS=0
𝒙−𝟏
𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑 + 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟐 Combining into a single
≥𝟎 fraction.
𝒙−𝟏
𝟒𝒙 − 𝟓 Simplifying the numerator.
≥𝟎
𝒙−𝟏

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Solution (continue…)
𝟒𝒙 − 𝟓 ≥ 𝟎, 𝒙−𝟏>𝟎 Assuming all factors greater
than zero. 𝒙 − 𝟏 ≠ 𝟎 as it is
denominator.
𝟓
𝒙≥ , 𝒙>𝟏
𝟒
Table of sign
𝟓 𝟓
𝒙<𝟏 𝟏<𝒙< 𝒙≥
𝟒 𝟒
𝟒𝒙 − 𝟓 - + +
𝒙−𝟏 - - +
+ - +
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding
 Solution (continue…)

Circle the positive sign or negative sign depend on the

inequality before assuming all factors greater than zero.

𝟒𝒙 − 𝟓 The inequality sign greater and equal to zero,

≥𝟎 circle positive sign in the table.
𝒙−𝟏

5
∴ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑥: 𝑥 < 1 ∪ 𝑥 ≥
4

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Two Sides Modulus Inequalities
Steps of Solving Two Sides Modulus
Inequalities
Step 1: Squaring both sides of the inequality.
Step 2: Using the property of 𝒂 𝟐 = 𝒂𝟐 .
Step 3: Expanding both sides.
Step 4: Rearrange Right Hand Side (RHS) equal to ZERO.
Step 5: Try to factorize till simplest form.
Step 6: Use TABLE OF SIGN to determine the answer in solution
set or interval form.

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Remembering

 Example
Solve the inequality 𝒙 + 𝟓 > 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟑 .
Solution:
𝒙 + 𝟓 > 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟑
𝟐 𝟐 Squaring both sides of the
𝒙+𝟓 > 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟑
inequality.

𝒙+𝟓 𝟐
> 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟑 𝟐 Using the property of
𝒂 𝟐 = 𝒂𝟐 .

𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏𝟎𝒙 + 𝟐𝟓 > 𝟗𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏𝟖𝒙 + 𝟗 Expanding both sides.

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Solution (continue…)
𝟖𝒙𝟐 + 𝟖𝒙 − 𝟏𝟔 < 𝟎 Rearranging RHS=0 .

𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙 − 𝟐 < 𝟎 Simplifying by dividing by 8.

𝒙+𝟐 𝒙−𝟏 < 𝟎 Factorizing till simplest form.

𝒙+𝟐>𝟎 or 𝒙 − 𝟏 > 𝟎 Assuming all the factors

are positive
𝒙 > −𝟐 or 𝒙>𝟏

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Solution (continue…)
Table of sign
𝒙 < −2 −𝟐 < 𝒙 < 𝟏 𝒙 >1
𝒙+𝟐 - + +
𝒙−𝟏 - - +
+ - +

∴ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑥: −2 < 𝑥 < 1ሻ .

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Understanding

 Self-check
(1) Solve the following inequalities. Give your
answer in the interval notation.
(a) 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟏 ≤ 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟗
(b) 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟏𝟒 < 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏𝟑 < 𝟑 𝒙 − 𝟐 + 𝟐𝟓
(2) Solve the following inequalities. Give your
answer in the solution set.
𝟏 𝟏
(a) 𝒙 − 𝟒𝒙 < 𝟓
𝟐
(b) 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏 ≤ 𝟐

kwkang@KMK Bloom: Applying

 Self-check
(3) Solve each of the following inequalities.
(a) 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟕 ≥ 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟗
(b) 𝒙 + 𝟑 < 𝟏
𝒙−𝟐 𝟐

(4) Determine the solution set for the inequality

𝒙 + 𝟓 ≤ 𝟑𝒙 − 𝟏 .

Bloom: Applying
kwkang@KMK
 Answer Self-check
(1) (a) ሾ𝟓,∞ሻ (b) −𝟔, 𝟗

𝟏 𝟑
(2) (a) −𝟏, 𝟓 (b) −∞,
𝟐
∪ ൤ , ∞ሻ
𝟐

𝟏𝟔 𝟒
(3) (a)ቆ−∞, − 𝟓 ൨ ∪ ሾ𝟐, ∞ሻ (b) −𝟖, −
𝟑

(4) ൫−∞, −𝟏ሿ ∪ ሾ𝟑, ∞ሻ

Bloom: Applying
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 Summary

Linear Non-linear
Inequality Inequality

Inequality

One Side Two Sides

Modulus Modulus
Inequality Inequality
kwkang@KMK Bloom: Remembering
 Key Terms
• Linear inequality
• Quadratic inequality
• Rational inequality
• One side modulus inequality
• Two sides modulus inequality
• Table of sign
• Solution set
• Interval notation

kwkang@KMK