1

Algebra q4
w1

Inequalities
● unlike equations, these are mathematical sentences that state that two or more expressions are not equal
● Symbols used between the expressions are >, <, ≥, ≤
Graphing inequalities
Steps:
1) It is always best to write your final inequality with the variable on the left side. Note: If you need to rewrite
an inequality, take note of where the arrow is pointing to. Is it pointing to the constant or the variable?
Make sure that when you rewrite an inequality, our arrow is still pointing to the same.
2) Draw your number line with arrowheads on both ends and include the relevant numbers, especially 0 and
your constant. The constant is considered the endpoint of your graph.
3) Take note of your inequality symbol. It will determine how you plot your constant. For ≥ and ≤, use a
closed or shaded circle to plot your constant. For > and <, use an open or unshaded circle to plot your
constant.
4) After correctly plotting your constant, draw your line in the direction of the matching arrowhead. Note: Your
line direction will match the arrowhead only if your final inequality was written with the variable on the left
side.
Examples:
1) x ≤ 3
2) y ≥ 5
3) z < 4

Writing inequalities in Interval Notation:

Steps: Once graphed, you can express the inequality in interval notation using a series of parentheses and/or
brackets
1) View your number line from left to right and note where the graph line begins and ends (these are
considered the endpoints of your internal notation). Does it begin on arrowheads or a constant?
2) If the graph line begins with the left arrowhead then your starting term in the interval notation is -∞. If the
graph line begins with a constant, your starting term or first endpoint is that constant. Write your first
endpoint, followed by a comma.
3) If the graph line ends with the right arrowhead, then your ending term in the interval notation is ∞. If the
graph line ends with a constant, your ending term or second endpoint is that constant. Write your second
endpoint after the comma.
4) Now is the time to wrap up your interval notations with parentheses and/or brackets. On the side of the
interval notation that has either -/+ ∞, put a single parenthesis. On the side with the constant, use a
bracket for a closed circle or use a parenthesis for an open circle.
Note: It is considered an open interval when it is denoted by two parentheses. It is considered a closed
interval when it is denoted by two brackets. It is considered a half-open interval when it is denoted by a single
parenthesis and a single bracket.
Examples:
See worksheet on next page

Additional exercises:
1) Anthony is shopping for a birthday gift for his cousin Robert. He has $25 dollars in his wallet. Write an
inequality that shows how many dollars he can spend on the gift.
2) Teresa is only allowed to swim outside if the temperature outside is at least 85 °F. Write an inequality that
shows the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit at which Teresa is allowed to swim.
3) In order to achieve an ‘A’ in math, Ivy needs to score more than 95% on her next test. Write an inequality
that shows the test score Ivy needs to achieve in order to earn her ‘A’ in math.
 2
> ≥ < ≤

Is more than Minimum Is less/lesser than Maximum, at most

Is greater than At least below Not more than
above Not less than Is not greater than

w2-3
Properties of Inequalities

In order to solve inequalities, we apply 4 basic properties in order to isolate the variable to the left side.
Remember CSIC?
In step “I” we isolate the variable through two ways:
a) Transposition
b) Division by numerical coefficient
In the first “C”, we:
a) Clear fractions by multiplying by the LCM
These steps are actually the properties of equality and inequality in disguise

A. Addition Property of Inequality

Given real numbers a, b, and c, if a > b, then a + c > b + c.
This simply means that whatever we add on the left side we must add on the right side.
Note: When we transpose a negative number and change its sign to positive, we are actually applying API
Example:
x-2 >5 x-2>5
x-2+2> 5+2 x >5 +2
x>7 x >7

B. Subtraction Property of Inequality

Given real numbers a, b, and c, if a > b, then a - c > b - c.
This simply means that whatever we subtract on the left side we must add on the right side.
Note: When we transpose a positive number and change its sign to negative, we are actually applying SPI
Example:
x+2 >5 x+2>5
x+2-2> 5-2 x >5-2
x>3 x >3

C. Multiplication Property of Inequality

Given real numbers a, b, and c, if a > b and c > 0 then ac > bc.
This simply means that whatever you multiply on the left side, we must multiply on the right side.
BUT never multiply with zero because anything you multiply to zero will equal to zero
AND when you multiply by a negative number, you must “flip” your inequality sign.

D. Division Property of Inequality

Given real numbers a, b, and c, if a > b and c > 0 then a/c > b/c or a÷c > b÷c
This simply means that whatever you divide on the left side, we must divide on the right side.
BUT never divide by zero because anything you divide by zero will be considered undefined.
AND when you divide by a negative number, you must “flip” your inequality sign.

See worksheet on next page.

 3
w4
Multi-step Inequalities

1) 6x – 12 > 5x + 8

2) 11(x + 8) ≥ 12x – 12

3) 9(p + 5) > 10p – 5

𝑎
4) 2
<a+4

𝑎
5) 6
-3≥5

6) 6(j – 2) > 7(j + 4)

7(𝑎−4)
7) 2
≤ 4a

4(𝑥+1)
8) 6
> 2x

9) 4(a + 3) + 4 ≥ –(a – 1)

10) 6(t + 1) – 10 > 7(t + 3) + 4t

w5
Applications of Inequalities (word problems)
Steps:
1) Represent - select a variable to represent your unknown. Use a table as needed.
2) Translate - write an inequality; take note of keywords that tell you what inequality to use
3) Solve
Exercises:
1) Bank T’s checking account has monthly charges of an $8 service fee plus 6¢ per check written. Bank S’s
checking account has monthly charges of a $10 service fee plus 4¢ per check written.
A company has 150 employees, and pays them monthly by check. The company’s financial adviser
suggests that Bank S would be cheaper to use. Set up and solve an inequality that supports this
recommendation.
2) Jack is doing a sponsored swim to raise money for charity. His mom sponsors him $10, plus $1 for every
length of the pool he completes. His uncle sponsors him just $1.50 for every length he completes. How
many lengths will Jack have to complete for his uncle to pay more than his mom?
3) A group of friends want to drive to a beach resort and spend 5 days there. A car rental firm offers them
two rental plans; $15 a day plus 30¢ per mile traveled, or $20 a day plus 10¢ per mile. Which rental plan
would be better if the beach resort is 150 miles from home, and why?
4) A bank charges a $10 monthly service fee plus 5¢ handling fee per check processed through its Gold
checking account. The bank also offers a Platinum checking account and charges a $15 monthly service
fee plus 3¢ handling fee per check drawn from this account. What is the highest number of checks per
month for which the Gold account is cheaper than the Platinum account?
5) A group of executives is traveling to a meeting, so they decide to hire a car and travel together. The car
rental agency rents luxury cars at $65 per day plus 65¢ per mile traveled, or $55 per day plus 85¢ per mile
traveled. What is the maximum number of miles that they can drive before the $55 per day plan becomes
more expensive than the $65 per day plan?
 4
w6
Compound Inequalities - an inequality expression with 2 inequality symbols

2 types of compound inequalities:

1) Conjunction
● Uses the connecting word and
● Can be rewritten as a single mathematical statement, usually involving two inequality signs with no
separation
Ex: x < 5 and x > -1 -1 < x < 5
● In graphing, you will have two graphs but written on one number line
● The graphs of conjunctions will overlap
2) Disjunction
● Uses the connecting word or
● Can be rewritten as a single mathematical statement, usually involving two inequality signs with no
separation
Ex: x < -1 or x 5 -1 < x > 5
● In graphing, you will have two graphs but written on one number line
● The graphs of disjunctions do not overlap

Solving compound inequalities

● We solve them just like other inequalities and equations using properties of addition, subtraction,
multiplication and divisions as well as simplifying but instead of our goal if isolating the variable to the left,
our goal is to isolate it to the middle of the expression, between the two inequality symbols.
Note: for compound inequalities that are written separately, solve each inequality separately and have
your final answers written with the isolated variable written at the left.

Practice exercises: Writing Conjunctions as single mathematical statements.

1) 3y – 1 > 5 and 3y – 1 < 11
a) Identify the common expression in each statement 3y -1
b) Identify the non-common expressions in each statement 5, 11
c) The smaller non-common will be written on the left side, the bigger non-common will be written on
the right side, and the common expression will be written in the middle.
5 3y -1 11
d) Symbols: you will only use < or ≤ accordingly
5 < 3y -1 < 11

2) –4g – 5 < –5 and –4g – 5 > –10

3) 7c – 9 < 7 and 7c – 9 > –4
4) 9t + 4 ≤ 4 and 9t + 4 ≥ 3
5) 8y + 9 ≤ 2 and 8y + 9 > –6

Practice exercises: Solve and graph, then identify if it is a conjunction or disjunction.

1) 11 + 2y < 4y – 3 or 4y – 3 > 6y + 7
2) –2x ≤ –3x + 4 and –3x + 4 ≤ 4x + 18
3 3
3) 8
x + 3 < -4 or 3 - 7
x<6
5𝑥 − 3 1
4) -7 ≤ 4
≤ 3
5) –15 ≤ 4x – 6 ≤ –10
6) 4x – 9 < 27 and 10x – 16 > 2x + 8
 5
w7
Absolute Value Inequalities
- Like other inequalities, AV inequalities can be conjunctions or disjunctions
- One way to tell if if an AVI is a conjunction or conjunction, even before graphing is to look at the inequality
symbol once the absolute value term has been isolated to the left

Conjunction < ≤ Disjunction > ≥

For example: |x| = 3, therefore x = -3, 3

1) |x| < 3, therefore -3 < x < 3 note: if the inequality is a CONJUNCTION, convert
into a COMPOUND INEQUALITY with negative value
Graph: on the left and positive value on the right
Interval notation: (-3,3)

2) |t – 10| > 1
note: if the inequality is a DISJUNCTION, convert into TWO
a) Convert t - 10 < -1 or t - 10 > 1 SEPARATE INEQUALITIES with opposite signs (less nega,
b) Solve +10 +10 +10 > +10 greater posi
t > 9 or t > 11
c) Graph
d) Interval Notation
3) |3a| ≤ 21
a) Convert -21 ≤ 3a ≤ 21
b) Solve /3 /3 /3
-7 ≤ a < 7
c) Graph
d) Interval Notation
ℎ
4) | 12 | > 1
ℎ ℎ
a) Convert 12
< -1 or 12
> 1
b) Solve x12 x12 x12 x12
h < -12 or h > 12
\
c) Graph
d) Interval Notation
5) |2x – 5| + 1 < 11
Note: isolate the AV to the left before converting
|2x – 5| < 11 - 1
|2x – 5| < 10
a) Convert -10 < 2x - 5 < 10
b) Solve +5 +5 < +5
-5 < 2x < 15
c) Graph
d) Interval Notation
6) |b - 8| + 10 > 22
Note: isolate the AV to the left before converting
|b - 8| + 10 > 22
|b - 8| > 22 - 10
|b - 8| > 12
a) Convert b - 8 < -12 or b-8 > 12
b) Solve b < -12 + 8 b > 12 + 8
b < -4 or b > 20
c) Graph
d) Interval Notation