much of the algebra you have learned involved equations, that is, statements

showing two mathematical expressions that are equal to one another. For example,
when looking at 3x+5=173x+5=17, what is on the left side of the
equation, 3x+53x+5, is equal to what is on the right side of the equation, 17.
Comparing Expressions
Sometimes, however, instead of showing that expressions are equal, we want to
compare two expressions to show that one is larger or smaller than the other. These
types of statements are referred to as inequalities, because we are not aiming to
generate two expressions that are equal to one another, as we do with equations.
Inequalities portray expressions that are generally not equal.
There are four symbols that allow us to indicate that expressions are larger or
smaller than each other.

Less Than (<)

This symbol (<) means “less than.” For example, this means three is less than
seven: 3<7. A trick to remembering which side is larger or smaller is that the side of
the symbol with the point is “smaller” than the open side, which appears to be
“larger”.

Greater Than (>)

The next symbol is >, which means “greater than.” An example would be 8 is
greater than 2: 8>2.

The last two symbols are very similar to the first two:

Less Than or Equal To (≤)

This symbol ≤ means “less than or equal to.” It is almost the same as the < sign, but
also includes values equal to the number on the right of the sign. For example, if we
said [latex]x[/latex]≤3 , [latex]x[/latex] would include values such as 1 and 2, and
could also include 3, since 3 is equal to 3.

Greater Than or Equal To (≥)

Similarly, this sign ≥ means “greater than or equal to.” So if we said yy≥6,
then yy could include values such as 7, 10, or 22, but it could also include 6,
since yy can be equal to 6.
Double Inequalities
Sometimes, you will see inequalities containing more than one of these symbols.
These are referred to as double inequalities.

An example would be this 7>xx>2. This suggests that xx is less than 7, but greater
than 2. This means that 3, 4, 5, and 6 would all be acceptable values of xx.
As you can see, inequalities may contain variables, just like equations. And just as
certain values of a variable render an equation correct, so too, certain values of
variables render inequalities to be true.
Oftentimes, only certain values of the variable satisfy the inequality, while other
values would make it false. These types of inequalities are called conditional
inequalities, because they are only true under certain conditions.
Solving Conditional Inequalities
To solve a conditional inequality, treat it as you would a standard equation and solve
for the variable.

Example #1
Let’s look at a simple example:

Say you were given x+2>9x+2>9.

The way to figure out the value of xx is to solve this inequality just as you would any
other equation. As you may recall, to determine the value of a variable you isolate
the variable on one side of the equation, and we do the same thing for an inequality.
So you’re going to subtract 2 from both sides, and you are left with x>7x>7.
This means that any value of xx above 7, not including 7, will make this inequality
true.
To quickly check your answer, lets use a value of 4 for xx. Plug in 4 plus 2 is greater
than 9, you get 6 > 9, which is not true. However, using a value of 8 for xx, you can
plug in 8 plus 2, is greater than 9, that gives you 10 > 9, which is true. It’s above 7
so that means it’s correct.
Example #2
Let’s try a more complicated example: 3x–7≤8+2x3x–7≤8+2x.
The first step is to solve for xx as you would with any other equation.
So we’re going to start by adding 7 to both sides, that gives
us: 3x≤15+2x3x≤15+2x. Now we’re going to subtract 2xx from both sides,
this leaves us with x≤15x≤15. That means that any values of xx that are 15 or
lower will work for this inequality.
There is one additional rule that you should keep in mind when solving inequalities:
whenever an inequality is multiplied or divided by a negative number, the inequality
sign needs to be reversed.
Example #3
Here’s a quick example to see this rule in action:

Let’s solve this inequality: −2x+10>8−2x+10>8.

So we’re going to start by subtracting 10 from both sides, which gives
you −2x>−2−2x>−2.
In order to isolate xx, we divide both sides by -2. This is where our rule comes into
play. After dividing by negative two, we would normally be left with x>1x>1, but
we reverse the inequality sign, giving us x<1x<1. This means that any value less
than 1 will make our inequality correct. To test out our answer, if we use the value 0
for xx, we’ll plug it in get 2 times 0, plus 10 is greater than 8. 0 plus 10 is greater
than 8, 10 is greater than 8 which is correct.
Example #4
Just as equations can also include absolute values, inequalities may include them as
well. In case you need a refresher, an absolute value expresses how far away a
number is from zero. It doesn’t matter if the given number is positive or negative.
Say you had |x|–5<3|x|–5<3
The first step would be to isolate the absolute value of xx. We’d do this by adding 5
to both sides of the inequality.
That gives us |x|<8|x|<8.
This answer suggests that xx is less than 8 spaces from zero in either direction.
Therefore, we would write the answer as this: −8<x<8−8<x<8
I hope this review of inequalities has helped! Thanks for watching, and happy
studying!

Conditional and Absolute Inequalities Practice

Question #1:

How would we write the following in mathematical terms: “eighty-nine times y is less
than or equal to x plus thirty-four” ?
x+34≤89yx+34≤89y
89y>x+3489y>x+34
89y≤x+3489y≤x+34
x+34>89yx+34>89y
Show Answer
Question #2:

Which of the following is true:

26≤2626≤26
56>5756>57
9≥109≥10
4444 < 4444
Show Answer
Question #3:

Solve for x in the following inequality:

3x+84−13x+84−1 < 77
x>8x>8
xx < 77
xx < 88
xx < −2−2
Show Answer
Question #4:
Rewrite −4−4< yy < 44 using only one inequality sign and |y||y|.
|y|>4|y|>4
|y||y|< 44
|y|≥4|y|≥4
|y|≤4|y|≤4
Show Answer
Question #5:
Solve for x in the following inequality:
−4x+3≤−17−4x+3≤−17
x≥5x≥5
x≤−3x≤−3
x≤5x≤5
x≥3x≥3
Show Answer

What is a Compound Inequality

A compound inequality contains at least two inequalities and is separated either by
an “or” or an “and.” Compound inequalities can be used to describe real-world
situations, such as the years that a person is not working.

“Or” Inequality

For example, most people are not working below age 18, or above age 65. This can
be represented by the compound inequality x<18 or x>65x<18 or x>65. This
states that people (xx) generally will not be working at an age that is less than 18,
OR an age that is greater than 65.
This is an example of an “or” inequality.
“And” Inequality

An example of an “and” compound inequality could be used to describe something

like the years a person is in school. This would generally be between the ages of 5
and 25, and we can represent this scenario with the compound
inequality 5≤x≤255≤x≤25. This would be read as “x is greater than or equal to
5, AND x is less than or equal to 25.” In this case, our solution set has to satisfy both
constraints.
Remember, compound inequalities can be represented as either an “or” statement
or an “and” statement, and can incorporate the following symbols:

>> Greater than

<< Less than

Greater than or equal
≥≥ to
≤≤ Less than or equal to

Compound Inequality Examples

Let’s look at some examples.
Example #1
Example of an “or” compound inequality: 6<x or x≤−86<x or x≤−8
This would mean that our solution set is any value greater than 6 or less than or
equal to -8. Any value that satisfies one of these constraints is considered a solution.
Example #2
Example of an “and” compound inequality: 45<x<4945<x<49
This would mean that our solution set is any value greater than 45 and less than 49.
All values that fall between these two numbers will satisfy the constraints.

Solving Compound Inequalities

Now that we have an understanding of what a compound inequality is and what it
represents, we can dive into the process for solving compound inequalities.

Example #1
Let’s solve for a compound inequality that is separated by an “or” for our first
example.

Solve for >z>z: 5z+7<27 or -3z≥185z+7<27 or -3z≥18

Our first step is to solve each constraint separately. The solving process is the same
process for solving multi-step equations. The same rules apply, with one exception.

When you multiply or divide by a negative, the inequality will flip. We will see this
process unfold as we finish this example.

So let’s start by solving this inequality.

5z+7>275z+7>27

We’ll start by subtracting 7 from both sides.

5z+7−7>27−75z+7−7>27−7

That will give us:

5z>205z>20

And then we divide by 5 on both sides.

5z5>2055z5>205

So z>4z>4.
Now, let’s move to our other inequality.

−3z≥18−3z≥18
For this, we just need to divide by -3 on both sides.

−3z−3≥18−3−3z−3≥18−3

Remember, when we divide by a negative, our sign flips. So, instead of ≥≥ , we’re
going to have . ≤18 ÷(−3)=−6≤18 ÷(−3)=−6.

z≤−6z≤−6

So our final answer is:

z<4 or z≤−6z<4 or z≤−6

This is now in a graphable form that can be represented on a line graph.

Now let’s check out a compound inequality that is separated by an “and.”

Solve for x: −12<2−5x≤7−12<2−5x≤7

So for an “and” inequality like this, we can solve for x by doing inverse operations to
all three parts. So, let me show you what I mean.

−12<2−5x≤7−12<2−5x≤7

The first thing we want to do is subtract 2 to get x by itself. So we’re going to

subtract 2 from this middle part here.

−12<2−5x−2≤7−12<2−5x−2≤7

But if we subtract it from the middle part, we also need to do it to the left and right
sides. So we’ll subtract 2 over here, and we’ll subtract 2 over here.

−12−2<2−5x−2≤7−2−12−2<2−5x−2≤7−2

−12−2=−14−12−2=−14. The twos cancel out and we’re left with, −5x−5x.
And 7−2=57−2=5.

−14<−5x≤5−14<−5x≤5

Now, we’re going to do the same thing but divide by negative 5 on all three parts.

−145<−5x−5≤5−5−145<−5x−5≤5−5

Remember, when we divide by a negative, we flip our inequality signs. So we’re

going to have:

145<x<−1145<x<−1
So our answer for this inequality is x≥−1 and x<145x≥−1 and x<145.
Example #2
There are times when you will be working through the process of solving a
compound inequality and your result will be no solution. What does this mean? What
would this look like? Let’s take a look.

Solve for xx: 5x−3<12 and 4x+1>255x−3<12 and 4x+1>25

So we’re going to start by solving each one of these inequalities separately.

5x−3<125x−3<12

So let’s start by adding 3 to both sides of this inequality.

5x−3+3<12+35x−3+3<12+3

This gives us:

5x<155x<15

And divide by 5 on both sides to get:

x<3x<3

Now let’s move to this inequality over here:

4x+1>254x+1>25

We’re going to subtract 1 from both sides.

4x+1−1>25−14x+1−1>25−1

That gives us:

4x>244x>24

And then divide by 4 on both sides.

4x4>2444x4>244

x>6x>6

So our solution is x<3x<3 and x>6x>6.

But wait, this is impossible. We are unable to find a value for xx that is both less
than 3, and greater than 6. If this occurs, the compound inequality is said to have
“no solution.”
And that’s all there is to it. I hope that this video was helpful for you! Thanks for
watching, and happy studying!

What is an Inequality?
When solving equations, you have two expressions that are equal to each other.
When we look at inequalities, we are looking at two expressions that are “inequal” or
unequal to each other, as the name suggests. This means that one equation will be
larger than the other.
The four basic inequalities are: less than, greater than, less than or equal to, and
greater than or equal to.

Less than <

Less than or equal to ≤
Greater than >
Greater than or equal to ≥

Solving Inequalities
When solving inequalities, you follow all the same steps as solving an equation,
except for a special rule when it comes to multiplication and division. The main
difference is that instead of writing an equal sign between the two expressions, you
will write one of the four inequality symbols.

Example #1
Let’s first look at an inequality using addition.

x+7≥4x+7≥4

If we are solving for xx by itself, we want to get rid of that 7 next to it, so we
subtract 7 from both sides.

x+7–7≥4–7x+7–7≥4–7

This gives us our answer:

x≥−3x≥−3

It’s as simple as that!

Example #2
Now, I want you to try one on your own using subtraction.

x–3<9x–3<9

First, we are going to add 3 to both sides.

 x–3+3<9+3x–3+3<9+3

Then we simplify.

x<12x<12

Example #3
Now we come to multiplication and division.

Are you ready to find out what this special rule is that I was talking about earlier?
When you multiply or divide by a negative number, you have to flip your sign the
opposite direction. If you are multiplying or dividing by a positive number, don’t
worry about this step.

Let’s look at an example:

−4x>12−4x>12

To get xx by itself, we need to divide both sides by -4.

Remember, since we are dividing by -4, we have to flip our inequality sign

x<−3x<−3

Let’s take a second to look at why this happens. What if I didn’t flip my sign? I would
have x>−3x>−3. So let’s try plugging in 2, since 2 is greater than negative 3. If
we plug in 2 for xx, we get:

−4(2)>12−4(2)>12

−8>12−8>12

But we know that this isn’t true; -8 is not greater than 12.
Now look back at our correct answer, x<−3x<−3. Negative 20 is less than
negative 3, so let’s plug this into our equation to check and see if it works.

−4(−20)>12−4(−20)>12

80>1280>12

That’s true! 80 is greater than 12. So just remember, when you multiply or divide by
a negative number, you HAVE to flip the sign. Otherwise, your inequality will not be
true.
Example #4
What if we had this inequality?
 x3≤2x3≤2

For this inequality, we need to multiply both sides by 3. When we do this, do we flip
our sign? No, we don’t have to since we are multiplying by a positive number.
So we’ll multiply both sides by 3, then we get:

x≤6x≤6

Example #5
I want you to try one more on your own. For this one, we are going to combine
everything we’ve learned, so it will look a little more challenging, but you can do it.
Just apply each step that we have talked about so far.

2x+3≥x–72x+3≥x–7

Pause this video and solve this inequality on your own, then see if your answer
matches up with mine.
Think you’ve got it? Let’s see!

First, I’m going to add 7 to both sides of my equation.

This gives us:

2x+10≥x2x+10≥x

Now, I have to subtract 2x2x from both sides.

10≥−x10≥−x

Finally, I need to divide by -1 and flip my sign.

So our final answer is:

−10≤x−10≤x

Now, notice with this inequality, you could have subtracted xx and subtracted 3
from both sides. This will give you the same answer, and you can avoid dividing by a
negative. Sometimes there are multiple ways to solve an inequality or an equation,
so be on the lookout for ways to make your life a little bit easier.
I hope this video on solving inequalities was helpful. Thanks for watching and happy
studying!

Greater Than and Less Than Signs | Multiplication Charts

 Solving Inequalities Practice Questions
Question #1:

Solve the following inequality for x:

4+x4+x < −1−x−1−x
x>12x>12
xx < 22
xx < −52−52
x>14x>14
Show Answer
Question #2:

Solve the following inequality for x:

x4≥3x4≥3
x≥12x≥12
x≥4x≥4
x≤12x≤12
x≤3x≤3
Show Answer
Question #3:

Solve the following inequality to determine which values of x will satisfy it:
x+27>2−xx+27>2−x
x>5x>5
x>32x>32
xx < 2727
xx < 22
Show Answer
Question #4:

Solve the following inequality for x.

−4x+2≥6−4x+2≥6
x≤−1x≤−1
x≥−1x≥−1
x≤2x≤2
x≥2x≥2
Show Answer
Question #5:

Solve the following inequality for x.

−14x+3>−4−14x+3>−4
xx < 1616
xx < 2828
x>34x>34
x>21x>21
Show Answer

What is an Equation?
So let’s start with a basic question: What’s an equation?

Here’s a very simple way to think of an equation. An equation has an “equals” sign,
like this: 2+2=42+2=4.
When you see an equals sign, you know that math problem is an equation. It is
saying that two or more things are equal. Those “things” can be simple or complex.

Example #1
Here’s an example of a simple equation: 10+2=6+610+2=6+6.
As you can see, the answer on both sides of the equals sign is 12. The equation says
that the sum of the numbers on the left side ( 10÷210÷2) equals the sum of the
numbers on the right side (6+66+6).
Equations can be complex, but at their core, either side of the equals sign remains
true.

Example #2
Let’s break down this more complex equation, using this example as a base.

5×2÷2+10+2=5×2÷2+6+65×2÷2+10+2=5×2÷2+6+6

The answer on both sides of the equation is 17.

Let’s break it down.

5×2=105×2=10

10÷2=510÷2=5

5+10+2=175+10+2=17

And on the other side:

 5×2=105×2=10

10÷2=510÷2=5

5+6+6=175+6+6=17

That’s a simple look at equations.

Algebraic Expressions
Let’s look at some key terms regarding algebraic equations:

An algebraic expression is the problem you’re trying to solve. The

equation x+7=14x+7=14 is a simple algebraic expression. These expressions
contain numbers, variables, and an arithmetic operation that can be as simple as
addition or subtraction or as complex as a square root multiplier.
A term is at least one number or variable multiplied together, though terms can have
more than one number of variable. For example, 2x–4x=202x–4x=20. The 2 and
the 4 are numbers, while xx is the variable.
Coefficients multiply variables. So, let’s take a look at 6x6x, which means 6 times
the variable xx. Therefore, the number 6 is the coefficient.
Constants are numbers whose values don’t change. The values are fixed. Let’s look
at n+5=9n+5=9. The values 5 and 9 don’t change, so those are the constants.
Constants can also be variables that stand in for fixed numbers.
Like terms have the same variables and exponents. So, 5xy5xy, 6xy6xy,
and 9xy9xy are like terms because they all contain xyxy.
Exponents are the simplified method of multiplication. The 3 in x3x3 is an exponent.
It’s much easier to write and read this m3+y3+n2m3+y3+n2 than write and
read this:

m×m×m+y×y×y+n×nm×m×m+y×y×y+n×n

Inequalities
Inequalities also have a large part in algebra. While equations mean two things are
equal, inequalities (as you might have guessed) show that things are not equal.
These are the five inequality signs:

>> Greater than

<< Less than

≥≥ Greater than or equal to

≤≤ Less than or equal to

 ≠≠ Not equal

8<168<16, 15>915>9, and 6≠56≠5.

So, in simple inequality terms,
Expressed algebraically, you might see x>n+17x>n+17
Equations vs. Inequalities
Equations and inequalities are similar in some ways, but pretty different in others.

Let’s start with the similarities. You can multiply and divide numbers in inequalities
in almost the same way you can when working with equations. Here’s an easy
example:

9x+10>3x+49x+10>3x+4

Equations are true. In other words, the value after the equal sign is absolute. There’s
no dispute that 10+10=2010+10=20. With inequalities, there are more
possible outcomes since there is an infinite number of possibilities for numbers that
are less than and greater than.
Negative numbers work differently. This is where it gets a little bit complicated.
Anytime you use a negative number to multiply or divide an inequality, you have to
“flip” the inequality sign to keep the equation true.
For example: 4>34>3.
Four is greater than three. We know that to be true. So let’s expand on both sides a
little bit:

3×4>3×33×4>3×3

In this case, 12 is greater than 9. Once again, that’s true.

But if we multiply with negative numbers, things change a little bit.

Let’s have our equation multiply both sides by – 3: –3×4>−3×3–3×4>−3×3.

The answer becomes −12>−9−12>−9.
But that’s not right. We know negative 12 isn’t greater than negative 9.

That’s why you have to reverse the inequality. If you don’t, the problem won’t be
true. So reversing the inequality results in −12<−9−12<−9, which is true.
So that’s our look at equations and inequalities in algebraic equations. Equations
present a true value while inequalities can have any number of outcomes.

I hope this overview was helpful!

Thanks for watching and happy studying!

 “Difference between Inequalities and Equations | Difference Between.”

 “Equation Definition (Illustrated Mathematics Dictionary).”
  “Arithmetic.” 2021. Wikipedia.
 “Parts of an Expression.”
 “Algebra – Definitions.” 2016. Mathsisfun.com
 “Type Mathematical Symbols – Online Keyboard.” n.d. Math.typeit.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

What is an equation?

“An equation shows that two expressions are equal to one another. 4x+3=7”

What is a linear equation?

A linear equation is any equation that graphs as a line.

What is an inequality?

An inequality is a statement comparing two expressions that do not equal each

other. Instead, they use the comparisons less than (<), greater than (>), less than or
equal to (≤), or greater than or equal to (≥).
Ex. x > 3
Q

How do you solve inequalities?

To solve inequalities, follow the same steps as with an equation. The order of
operations is: parentheses, exponents, multiplication and division from left to right,
addition and subtraction from left to right. To isolate a variable, work through this
process backwards, starting with addition and subtraction and ending with
parentheses. There is only one slight difference. If you multiply or divide by a
negative number, you have to flip the inequality sign.
Ex.
-4x + 3 ≥ 15
-4x ≥ 12
x ≤ -3
Equations and Inequalities Practice Questions
Question #1:
Simplify the equation:
9×3−11+2=24÷2+18÷39×3−11+2=24÷2+18÷3
18=1018=10

18=1818=18

10=1010=10

40=1840=18
Show Answer

Question #2:

What is the name of the highlighted portion in the algebraic equation shown?
4x2−xy−y2=24x2−xy−y2=2
Exponent

Constant

Variable

Coefficient

Show Answer

Question #3:

Michelle is working on a school project. She needs to write an inequality to describe

the weather forecast for the upcoming week. Wednesday’s temperature will be
colder than 30oF. Which inequality best represents this statement?
x≥30x≥30

x≤30x≤30

x>30x>30

xx < 3030
Show Answer

Question #4:

Natasha’s mom gives her $20 to spend at the fair. The fair admission costs $6 and
the rides cost $0.25 each. To find out how many rides she can go on, Natasha wrote
the following inequality:
0.25x+6≤200.25x+6≤20
Based on this inequality, what is the greatest amount of rides Natasha can go on at
the fair?
56 rides

55 rides

48 rides

30 rides

Show Answer

Question #5:

Simplify the following inequality:

−4×8−4×8 < −4×9−4×9
3232 < −36−36

−32−32 < −36−36

−32>−36−32>−36

−36>−32−36>−32
Show Answer

What is an Inequality?
An inequality is a mathematical expression where the two sides are not equal.
There are 4 inequality symbols:

>> Greater than

<< Less than
≥≥ Greater than or equal to
≤≤ Less than or equal to
We read the inequality, y≤2x+6y≤2x+6, as “yy is less than or equal to six more
than two times xx”.
Graphing with Two Variables
To graph a linear inequality with two variables, we use the same process as
when graphing a linear equation plus a few extra steps. When graphing the line, we
either make our line solid, which includes the values on the line as part of the
solution set, or we use a dotted line, which does not include the values on the line as
part of the solution set. Here is how we decide if the line should be solid or dotted:
>> Dotted line
<< Dotted line
≥≥ Solid line
≤≤ Solid line
The last step in the process is to decide which side of the line to shade. One method
is to pick one point on each side of the line, substitute into the equation, and
simplify. Whichever results in a true statement will be the side that is shaded.

Another method is to shade below the line if the inequality symbol is << (less than)
or ≤≤ (less than or equal to), and shade above the line if the inequality symbol
is >> (greater than) or ≥≥ (greater than or equal to).
Example Problem
Graph the inequality y≤2x+6y≤2x+6.
y=2x+6y=2x+6. Since it is
Start by graphing the line as if it is an equation,
already in slope-intercept form, we know that the yy-intercept is 66 and the slope
is 22. Since the inequality is ≤≤, we will make the line solid.

As a last step, we pick one point on each side of the line and plug it into the
inequality. For ease, I am going to pick (0,0)(0,0), on the right side and (−4,4)
(−4,4) on the left side.
(0,0)(0,0) (−4,4)(−4,4)
 0≤2(0)+60≤2 4≤2(−4)+64≤2
(0)+6 (−4)+6
0≤60≤6 4≤−24≤−2
True statement False statement

We will shade the side that gave us the true statement because this means that the
ordered pair is part of the solution set of the inequality.

Hi, and welcome to this video about linear inequalities! Today, we’ll explore what
linear inequalities are, and see how to express their solutions.

Understanding Linear Inequalities

You probably have some experience with linear equations. They can be written in
point-slope form y−y1=m(x−x1)y−y1=m(x−x1), slope-intercept
form (y=mx+b)(y=mx+b), or standard form (Ax+By=C)(Ax+By=C) and
their graphs are straight lines.
For an example, let’s use the equation y=2x+1y=2x+1.
There are an infinite number of solutions to the equation. Solutions, in this case, are
coordinate pairs that lie on the line—algebraically, they make the equation true.
So (0,1)(0,1) is a solution because 1=2(0)+11=2(0)+1. (−1,−1)(−1,−1) is
also a solution since −1=2(−1)+1−1=2(−1)+1.
On the other hand, (3,2)(3,2) is not a solution because 2≠2(3)+12≠2(3)+1.
What if, instead of the equation y=2x+1y=2x+1, we replaced the equals sign
with << to get y>2x+1y>2x+1? Well, for starters, that would give us a linear
inequality!
Linear inequalities are simply inequalities that involve linear equations.

Testing Points on a Linear Inequality

The solution set is still an infinite set of points, but let’s see where they lie. We’ll
start by graphing the line y=2x+1y=2x+1 as before.
Okay, now let’s make a quick table so we can test some points on this graph. We’re
interested in points on each side of the line, as well as on the line.

Let’s test (3,−1)(3,−1) first. We can see this is below the line, and if we plug
these numbers into our inequality, we see that it does not work. Or, we would say it
isn’t “true”.
Let’s test another point, (2,1)(2,1). This is also below the line, and plugging the
values into our inequality tells us it is not true.
Let’s try some that are on the line. (1,3)(1,3) and (0,1)(0,1) are both points on
the line, but plugging in those values still doesn’t work.
Now let’s try above the line. (−3,3)(−3,3) is above the line, and if we plug those
values into our inequality, we find that it is true: 2(−3)+12(−3)+1. (−1,0)
(−1,0) is also above the line, and if we plug those values into our inequality, we find
that it is true as well: 2(−1)+12(−1)+1.
Location Point True?

Below line
(3,−1) −1>2(3)+1−1>2(3)+1?
(3,−1) No.
Below line (2,1)(2,1) 1>2(2)+11>2(2)+1? No.
On line (1,3)(1,3) 3>2(1)+13>2(1)+1? No.
On line (0,1)(0,1) 1>2(0)+11>2(0)+1? No.
Above line
(−3,3) 3>2(−3)+13>2(−3)+1?
(−3,3) Yes.

Above line
(−1,0) 0>2(−1)+10>2(−1)+1?
(−1,0) Yes.

We can test as many points as we’d like, but this tells us more than enough
information. All the points in the solution set are above the line, not on it. To show
that, we shade that entire half of the graph.
The reason all of the points in the solution set are above the line is because of our
inequality symbol. Our solution is “greater than”, so it will be above the line. If we
used <<, our solution would be below the line.
So, that’s really the whole concept of linear inequalities.

Steps to Solve and Graph Linear Inequalities

In practice, we’re talking about 3 key steps:

1. Graph the line as normal.

2. Test 1 or 2 points; (0,0)(0,0) is always the easiest. If it lies on the line, try
something like (1,1)(1,1) or (−1,1)(−1,1).
3. Dash the line if needed. If the inequality contains a less than or greater than,
use a dashed line. If it contains ≤≤ or ≥≥, keep it solid.
Let’s use these steps for the inequality 3x+6y≤−123x+6y≤−12!
Here’s the graph.

(0,0)(0,0): 3(0)+6(0)≤−123(0)+6(0)≤−12 is not true. Therefore,

Let’s test
we shade in the direction that does not include (0,0)(0,0) and keep the line solid.
Before we go, let’s have a little practice!

Write the inequality represented by this graph. Pause the video if you need more
time:

The correct answer is y≥4x–8y≥4x–8.

I hope this review was helpful! Thanks for watching, and happy studying!

Graphing Linear Inequalities Practice

Questions
Question #1:

Which graph best represents the inequality y>−2x+4y>−2x+4?

Show Answer
Question #2:

Which ordered pair shows a possible solution for the

inequality y≤12x−5y≤12x−5?
(5,−5)(5,−5)
(0,0)(0,0)
(5,5)(5,5)
(−5,5)(−5,5)
Show Answer
Question #3:

Which inequality statement matches the graph shown?

y≤3x+2y≤3x+2
yy < 3x+23x+2
yy < 3x−23x−2
y≤−3x+2y≤−3x+2
Show Answer
Question #4:

Vanessa is at a used bookstore that sells pre-owned books and DVDs. DVDs cost $8
each, and books cost $5 each. Vanessa wants to buy as many books and DVDs as
she can afford, but she can’t spend more than $35. Which inequality statement best
represents this situation?
8x+5y≥358x+5y≥35
8x+5y≤358x+5y≤35
8x+5y>358x+5y>35
8x+5y8x+5y < 3535
Show Answer
Question #5:

Matthew is at the movie theater with a group of friends. He plans to buy some bags
of popcorn and sodas for the group. Each bag of popcorn costs $6, and each soda
costs $4. Matthew has $40 to spend and writes the
inequality 6x+4y≤406x+4y≤40 to represent the situation. Which statement
below is true?
Matthew can buy 6 bags of popcorn and 2 sodas for his friends.
Matthew can buy 3 bags of popcorn and 6 sodas for his friends.
Matthew can buy 5 bags of popcorn and 3 sodas for his friends.
Matthew can buy 4 bags of popcorn and 4 sodas for his friends.
Show Answer
Question #6:

Which shows the graph of the inequality y≤−23x+4y≤−23x+4?

Show Answer
Question #7:
Here is the graph of an inequality:

Which inequality is shown on the graph?

y≥12x+2y≥12x+2
y≤12x+2y≤12x+2
y≥2x+12y≥2x+12
y≤2x−12y≤2x−12
Show Answer
Question #8:
The graph of an inequality is shown.

Which inequality is shown on the graph?

y≤−53x−5y≤−53x−5
y<−53x−5y<−53x−5
y≥−5x−53y≥−5x−53
y>−5x−53y>−5x−53
Show Answer
Question #9:

The graph of an inequality has a dotted line, is shaded on top, has a slope
of −2−2 and goes through the point (0,3)(0,3). Which inequality has this graph?
y<−2x+3y<−2x+3
y>−2x+3y>−2x+3
y≤−2x+3y≤−2x+3
y≥−2x+3y≥−2x+3
Show Answer
Question #10:

The graph of an inequality goes through the points (0,−6)(0,−6) and (3,0)(3,0),
it is a solid line and is shaded on the bottom half of the line. Which inequality has
this graph?
y<−6x+2y<−6x+2
y>−6x+2y>−6x+2
y≤2x−6y≤2x−6
y≥2x−6y≥2x−6
Show Answer

Reviewing the Basics

Before we get started, let’s review a few things. First, an inequality compares two
values and shows whether they are less than, greater than, less than or equal to, or
greater than or equal to each other.

 a>ba>b means that aa is greater than bb.

 a<ba<b means that aa is less than bb.
 a≥ba≥b means that aa is greater than or equal to bb.
 a≤ba≤b means that aa is less than or equal to bb.
For example, x<15x<15 means that the value of xx is less than 15.
Likewise, x≥6x≥6 means that the value of xx is greater than or equal to 6.
Solutions are numbers we can replace the variables for in inequalities that make
them true. For instance, one possible solution to x<15x<15 is 5 because 5 is less
than 15.
Graphing Inequalities
Solutions to inequalities are graphed on number lines and coordinate planes,
depending on how many variables are in the inequality. These graphs help illustrate
all possible solutions, or the solution set, for the inequality.
Example #1
Let’s take a look at an example: x<5x<5. If xx is less than 5, then all possible
solutions for xx have to be numbers that are smaller than 5. We can illustrate this
on a number line.
First, find 5 on the number line and draw an open circle above 5. We leave this circle
open to indicate that 5 is not part of the solution set for this inequality. The value
for xx is less than 5, not equal to it.
Next, draw a line on the number line to indicate the possible solutions for x x.
Since xx is less than 5, we need to draw a line to the left of 5.
Notice that the line extends to the left of 5 with an arrow at the end. The arrow
indicates that even though the number line ends at -10, there are an infinite number
of solutions (numbers smaller than -10) that could make this inequality true.

Example #2
Let’s try another one. Graph the solution set for the inequality x<−3x<−3. If xx is
greater than -3, then all possible solutions for xx have to be numbers that are
greater than -3.
Pause the video here, draw a number line, and see if you can graph this one
yourself. I know you can do it!

Let’s take a look at the number line together.

Notice that there is an open circle directly above -3 on the number line. Remember,
this means that -3 is not part of the solution set because x≠−3x≠−3. From -3,
there is a line extending to the right with an arrow at the end. This line shows that
the possible solutions for xx are all numbers greater than -3. Great job!
Example #3
Here’s another inequality: x≤1x≤1. Let’s graph the inequality on a number line.

First, find 1 on the number line and draw a shaded circle above it on the number
line. The circle is closed to indicate that 1 is part of the solution set for this
inequality. Next, starting from 1, draw a line to indicate all other possible solutions
for xx. Since xx is less than or equal to 1, we need to draw the line to the left of 1.
Example #4
Now it’s your turn. Graph the solution set for the inequality x≥−4x≥−4.
Pause the video here, draw a number line, and try this one yourself. When you finish,
resume the video, and we’ll go over the graph together.

Let’s take a look at the number line for x≥−4x≥−4:

As you can see, the circle above -4 is closed to indicate that -4 is part of the solution
set. Since xx is greater than or equal to -4, the line extends to the right, showing all
possible solutions for xx. Nice work!
Compound Inequalities
A compound inequality is two or more inequalities that are joined together with
either “and” or “or”. They are sometimes written with the symbols for “and” and for
“or”.

For example, x≤−1∪ x>5x≤−1∪ x>5 is a compound inequality that means the
same thing as x≤−1 or x>5x≤−1 or x>5. The possible solutions are all
numbers that are either less than or equal to -1 or greater than 5.
When graphing compound inequalities on the number line, the same rules apply as

x≤−1 ∪x>5x≤−1 ∪x>5, starting

with simple inequalities. Both inequality statements are graphed on the same
number line. Let’s graph the solutions for
with the first inequality, x≤−1x≤−1. Since x≤−1x≤−1, there is a closed circle
at −1−1 with a line extending to its left.
Next, graph the solution set for the second inequality, x>5x>5, on the same
number line.
Since x>5x>5, there is an open circle at 5 with a line extending to its right. The
number line now shows all solutions if xx is less than or equal to -1 or greater than
5. Here’s how the solution set can be expressed (−∞,−1]∪(5,∞)(−∞,
−1]∪(5,∞) with representing infinity, parentheses indicating open circles not part of
the solution set, and brackets for closed circles that are part of the solution set.
Consider the compound inequality x>−2∩x≤6x>−2∩x≤6, which can also be
written as−2<x≤6−2<x≤6. Since these two inequalities are connected by
“and,” the graph needs to reflect all solutions for xx if it is greater than −2−2 and
less than or equal to 6. Following the same steps before, let’s graph both solutions
on the same number line, starting with x>−2x>−2.
Since x>−2x>−2, there is an open circle at -2 with a line extending to its right.
Next, graph the solutions for x≤6x≤6 on the same number line.
Since x≤6x≤6, there is a closed circle at 6 with a line extending to its left.
However, this graph is not accurate. Recall that these inequalities are connected by
“and,” meaning that the number line needs to show where solutions to both
inequalities overlap.
The number line now shows all solutions for −2<x≤6−2<x≤6.
This solution set can be expressed like this (−2,6](−2,6], with a parenthesis
indicating that -2 is not part of the solution set and a bracket meaning that 6 is part
of the solution set.
Inequalities with Absolute Value
Solutions to inequalities with absolute value can also be graphed on a number line.
Recall that absolute value is a number’s distance from zero. In other words, it’s the
non-negative value of a number. Absolute value is denoted like this: |x||x|.
Example #1
Consider the inequality |x|>7|x|>7. Solutions for xx include all numbers that are
more than 7 spaces away from 0 on the number line. Because possible solutions can
be positive or negative, we can rewrite this inequality as two inequalities without
absolute value bars. |x|>7|x|>7 becomes x>7x>7 and x<−7x<−7. Notice
that the sign flipped in the inequality x<−7x<−7. This is because when a
negative is multiplied or divided in an inequality, its sign flips.
Now we’re ready to graph x>7x>7 and x<−7x<−7. Following the same steps
we’ve been practicing, graph both inequalities on the same number line.

The first inequality states thatx>7x>7, so the graph shows an open circle at 7
with a line extending to the right. The second inequality states that x>−7x>−7,
so the graph shows an open circle at -7 with a line extending to the left.
Example #2
Let’s try one more: |1+b|≤8|1+b|≤8. The absolute value bars indicate that
possible solutions can be positive or negative. Therefore, we need to rewrite the
inequality as two inequalities without the absolute
value: 1+b≤81+b≤8 and 1+b≥−81+b≥−8. Notice that the sign flipped in
the second inequality since a negative value was introduced.
From here, isolate the variable bb in both inequalities.
Subtract 1 from both sides, and we’ll get b≤7b≤7.
 1+b≤81+b≤8

1−1+b≤8−11−1+b≤8−1

b≤7b≤7

And then we’ll do the same thing over here. Subtract 1 from both sides, and we’ll
get:

1+b≥−81+b≥−8

1−1+b≥−8−11−1+b≥−8−1

b≥−9b≥−9

The solution set for this inequality includes all values that are less than or equal to 7
and greater than or equal to -9.
Note that these inequalities are connected by the term “and.” We are looking for
solutions that are true for both inequalities, so the number line needs to show where
solutions to both inequalities overlap.

The number line now shows all solutions for −9≤b≤7−9≤b≤7. The solution set
can be expressed like this [−9,7][−9,7], with brackets indicating that -9 and 7 are
part of the solution set.
Example #3
Now it’s your turn. Following the same steps as we’ve practiced, graph the solution
set for |2x−3|>5|2x−3|>5.
Pause the video here, draw a number line, and try this one yourself. When you finish,
resume the video, and we’ll go over it together.

Let’s take a look. First, rewrite the inequality as two inequalities without absolute
value bars. After that, isolate the variable xx.
So we have 2x−3>52x−3>5 and 2x−3<−52x−3<−5.

2x−3>52x−3>5

From here, we’re going to add 3 to both sides. So we have:

2x−3+3>5+32x−3+3>5+3

2x>82x>8

And divide by 2 on both sides.

2x÷2>8÷22x÷2>8÷2

x>4x>4
Over here we’re going to follow the same steps. We’ll add 3 to both sides.

2x−3<−52x−3<−5

2x−3+3<−5+32x−3+3<−5+3

2x<−22x<−2

And divide by 2 on both sides.

2x÷2<−2÷22x÷2<−2÷2

x<−1x<−1

Now we can graph the solution set for x>4x>4 or x<−1x<−1.

This solution set can be expressed like this (−∞,−1)∪(4,∞)(−∞,
−1)∪(4,∞) with parentheses indicating open circles not part of the solution set.
Nice work!
Inequalities with Two Variables
So far, we’ve looked at inequalities that contain one variable. What if an inequality
has two variables?

Example #1
Consider y>3x+1y>3x+1. Since there are two variables, we need to illustrate
the solution sets on a coordinate plane.

Notice that y>3x+1y>3x+1 is in slope-intercept form, y= mx+by= mx+b.

When an inequality has two variables and is in slope-intercept form, the first step is
to graph the line on a coordinate plane. Since the yy-intercept (bb) is 1, the line will
intersect the yy-axis at 1, or (0,1)(0,1). The slope (mm) is 3, or 3131. Starting
at (0,1)(0,1), use the slope to find another point on the line. Since slope
is riserunriserun, move up 3 units and right 1 unit to (1,4)(1,4).
Next, draw a line to connect the points. Since the inequality sign in the original
expression is less than (and not less than or equal to), connect the ordered pairs
with a dashed line. The dashed line means that points on this line are not possible
solutions.
The solution set for a linear inequality is shown as a shaded region on the coordinate
plane. This shaded region covers the area either to the right or to the left of the line
graphed. To figure out which region to shade, select a test point to substitute into
the inequality and solve. An easy test point to work with is the point of origin (0,0)
(0,0). Substitute 0 for both xx and yy in the inequality.
So we if we have our inequality y>3x+1y>3x+1 and we substitute in 0 for
both xx and yy, we’ll get:

(0)>3(0)+1(0)>3(0)+1

So this becomes:

0>0+10>0+1

Or:

0>10>1

Which we know is not true.

Since 0 is not greater than 1, then this point (0,0)(0,0) cannot be part of the
solution set. That means the values to the right of the graphed line are not solutions
to the inequality. Instead, shade the area to the left of the line.
The finished graph has a dashed line with a shaded region to its left. All possible
solutions are points to the left of the line graphed.

Example #2
Let’s try one more.

Consider the inequality y≤25x+2y≤25x+2. First, graph the line on a coordinate

plane. Since the yy-intercept (bb) is 2, the line will intersect the yy-axis at 2,
or (0,2)(0,2). The slope (mm) is 25. Starting at (0,2)(0,2), use the slope to find
another point on the line. Since the slope is riserunriserun, move up 2 units and
right 5 units to point (5,4)(5,4).
Next, draw a line to connect the points. Since the inequality sign is less than or equal
to, connect the ordered pairs with a solid line. This indicates that points on this line
are possible solutions.
Next, substitute the origin point (0,0)(0,0) into the inequality as a test point to
determine which portion of the coordinate plane to shade.
So if we plug in (0,0)(0,0) for our xx and yy here, we’ll get:

(0)≤25(0)+2(0)≤25(0)+2

Which will give us:

0≤0+20≤0+2

Or:

0≤20≤2
This is true!
Since 0<20<2, point (0,0)(0,0) is part of the solution set. That means the values
to the right of the graphed line are solutions to the inequality. The finished graph has
a solid line with a shaded region to its right. All possible solutions are points to the
right of the line or on the line graphed.
Example #3
Are you ready for a challenge? Let’s take a look at a compound inequality containing
two variables:

y≥x +1 ∪y<x−8y≥x +1 ∪y<x−8

Remember that connects the two inequalities and means “or.” We can solve this
compound inequality by following the same steps we’ve been practicing. The only
difference is that now we have two lines to graph on the coordinate plane. Let’s get
started.
So we have the line y≥x+1y≥x+1 and the line y<x−8y<x−8.
y≥x+1y≥x+1 has a yy-intercept at 1 (0,1)(0,1) and a slope of 1. It is graphed
with a solid line to show that points on the line are included in the solution
set. y<x−8y<x−8 has a yy-intercept at -8 (0,−8)(0,−8) and a slope of 1. It is
graphed with a dashed line to indicate that points on the line are not included in the
solution set.
Once the two lines are graphed, substitute the origin (0,0)(0,0) into both
inequalities as a test point. Doing so will determine which portion of the coordinate
plane to shade.
So, if we plug in (0,0)(0,0) here, we’ll get:

y≥x+1y≥x+1

(0)≥(0)+1(0)≥(0)+1

Or:

0≥10≥1

We know this is not true. Now we’ll come over here and plug in (0,0)(0,0). We’ll
get:

y<x−8y<x−8

(0)<(0)−8(0)<(0)−8

Which simplifies to:

>0<−80<−8

We know this is also not true.

Since both statements are false when solved, shade in both lines on the sides that do
not include the origin. y≥x+1y≥x+1 has a solid line with a shaded region to its
left. y<x−8y<x−8 has a dashed line with a shaded region to its right. Both
shaded portions are part of the solution set.
Example #4
We have learned a lot about inequalities today, and I have one more problem for you
to try. It’s a little more challenging, but I know you can do it. The inequality
statement is:

2x+4<y≤3x+82x+4<y≤3x+8

Remember, compound linear inequalities are graphed on the same coordinate plane.
Your first step is to graph the two lines. After graphing, use the test point (0,0)
(0,0) to determine where to shade your graph.
Pause the video here and try this one yourself. When you’re done, resume the video,
and we’ll go over it together.

Let’s take a look at this problem together. The two inequalities

are y>2x+4y>2x+4 and y≤3x+8y≤3x+8. When
graphed, y>2x+4y>2x+4 has a dashed line, and y≤3x+8y≤3x+8 has a solid
line.
Next, substitute the origin (0,0)(0,0) into both inequalities as a test point to
determine which portion of the coordinate plane to shade.
So if we plug in (0,0)(0,0) here, we get:

y>2x+4y>2x+4

(0)>2(0)+4(0)>2(0)+4

Which gives us:

0>0+40>0+4

Or:

0>40>4

We know this is not true. Now let’s try it over here. So we have:

y≤3x+8y≤3x+8

(0)≤3(0)+8(0)≤3(0)+8
Which simplifies to:

0≤0+80≤0+8

Or:

0≤80≤8

We know this is true.

Based on our work, the origin point should not be shaded
for y>2x+4y>2x+4 but should be shaded for y≤3x+8y≤3x+8. In other
words, the dashed line is shaded to its left, and the solid line is shaded to its right.
In this case, the solution set is the area where both shaded portions overlap. Great
job!

Step 1
The first step is to solve the inequality for xx the same way we would any other
inequality. There’s nothing special about this step.
Step 2
But the second step is unique to inequalities with even roots. Today, we’ll be looking
at square roots specifically. The second step is to set whatever is under the radical
symbol greater than or equal to zero and solve for xx again. We do this because you
cannot have a negative value of xx under the square root.
In other words, you can’t take the square root of a negative number. This will then
give us two inequalities that we then combine to make a compound inequality if the
signs are opposite. If the signs are the same, we use the more restrictive inequality.

Examples
Let’s look at a few examples to see what I’m talking about.

Example #1

x+3−−−−−√x+3>44

First, we want to solve this inequality for xx normally. We do this by following the
same steps we would as if we were solving an equation instead of an inequality.
We’re going to start by squaring both sides.

x+3x+3>1616

And then we’re gonna subtract 3 from both sides.

xx>1313
This gives us x>13x>13.
Now it’s time for our special step. We want to set what is under the radical symbol
greater than or equal to 0 and solve for xx again.
So x+3x+3 is under the radical symbol.
So we’ll set x+3≥0x+3≥0.

x+3x+3≥00

So now we’re going to subtract 3 from both sides.

xx≥−3−3

Which gives us x≥−3x≥−3.

Since our signs are in the same direction for both inequalities, we choose the more
restrictive one as our final answer. x>13x>13 is more restrictive
than x≥−3x≥−3 because, according to the second inequality, 0 could be included
because it is greater than or equal to -3, but it is not truly in our solution set because
it is not greater than 13. Therefore, we only want to consider values of xx that are
greater than 13.
Example #2
Let’s try another one.

Solve for x x.

2x−5−−−−−√+72x−5+7<1212

We’re gonna start by subtracting 7 from both sides.

2x−5−−−−−√2x−5<55

Then we’re going to square both sides.

2x−52x−5<2525

Add 5 to both sides

2x2x<3030

And divide by 2 on both sides.

xx<1515

Next, we’re gonna set 2x–52x–5 greater than or equal to 0, and solve for xx again.

2x−52x−5≥00
So we’re gonna add 5 to both sides.

2x2x≥55

And divide by 2 on both sides.

xx≥5252

In this example, our inequality signs face opposite directions, so we want to combine
them to make a compound inequality. Our final answer is: 5252≤xx<1515.
Example #3
Let’s try one more example together.

−3x+1−−−−−−−√−9−3x+1−9≥1111

Solve for xx normally.

−3x+1−−−−−−−√−3x+1≥2020

−3x+1−3x+1≥400400

−3x−3x≥399399

xx≤−133−133

Then solve so what is under the radical is not negative.

−3x+1−3x+1≥00

−3x−3x≥−1−1

xx≤1313

Since the signs are in the same direction, we choose the more restrictive case as our
final answer: xx≤−133−133.
Example #4
I want to do one more problem before we go, but this time try it on your own. Once I
give you the problem, pause the video and solve the inequality yourself. Then, press
play and see if your answer matches up with mine.

4x+4−−−−−√+114x+4+11<2121

Think you’ve got it? Let’s see!

First, we want to solve our inequality normally.
 4x+4−−−−−√4x+4<1010

4x+44x+4<100100

4x4x<9696

xx<2424

Then we set what is under the radical greater than or equal to 0 and solve
for x again.

4x+44x+4≥00

4x4x≥−4−4

xx≥−1−1

Since our signs are in opposite directions, our final inequality will be a compound
inequality: −1−1≤xx<2424. Remember, we cannot take the square root of a
negative value, which is why we place the expression under the radical to be greater
than or equal to 0. This is true of any even root, like a fourth root or an eighth root.
However, it is okay to take an odd root of a negative value. For instance, the cube
root of -8 is -2 because −2×−2×−2=−8−2×−2×−2=−8. If you are asked to
solve an inequality with a different even root, follow the same steps we did here. If it
is an odd root, you do not have to worry about the second step and can stop after
you initially solve the inequality.

I hope this video on solving inequalities with square roots was helpful. Thanks for
watching and happy studying!

Solving Inequalities with Square Roots Practice

Questions
Question #1:

Solve this inequality for x.

x−5−−−−−√x−5 < 11
xx < 66
x≥5x≥5
−5≤x−5≤x < 66
5≤x5≤x < 66
Show Answer
Question #2:

Solve this inequality for x.

3x+9−−−−−√>123x+9>12
x≥−3x≥−3
x>45x>45
−3≤x−3≤x < 4545
3≤x3≤x < 4545
Show Answer
Question #3:

Solve this inequality for x.

5x−1−−−−−√−25x−1−2 < 1111
x≥15x≥15
xx < 3434
−15≤x−15≤x < 3434
15≤x15≤x < 3434
Show Answer
Question #4:

Solve this inequality for x.

6x+10−−−−−−√≥86x+10≥8
x≥−53x≥−53
x≥9x≥9
−53≤x≤9−53≤x≤9
53≤x≤953≤x≤9
Show Answer
Question #5:

Solve this inequality for x.

7x+4−−−−−√−5≥77x+4−5≥7
x≥−47x≥−47
x≥20x≥20
−47≤x≤20−47≤x≤20
47≤x≤2047≤x≤20
Show Answer

Equalities
We know that an “equality,” or an equation, presents values that are equal to each
other. An equal sign is the notation that indicates an equation, and it symbolizes the
“balancing” of the expressions on either side.

In order to solve a linear equation, we use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and

division in a specific order to “isolate” the variable on one side of the equation, and a
constant on the other side. You have “solved” a linear equation when that variable
value is known. It is the one value that, when substituted back into the original
equation, will result in a “true” statement.
Solving a Linear Equation
For a quick review, let’s look at the following example:

Solve the equation for x x.

3x−2=x+83x−2=x+8

First, we want to get our variables on one side and our constants on another. So I’m
going to add 2 to both sides. That gives us:

3x=x+103x=x+10

Then, I’m going to subtract xx from this side, and then this side as well (because we
want to do the same thing on both sides). That gives us:

2x=102x=10

And then to get xx by itself divide by 2 on both sides, which gives us:

x=5x=5

The equation states that the expression on the left side of the equal
sign, 3x−23x−2, is equivalent to the expression on the right side, x+8x+8. Our
goal is to find the one value of xx that makes this statement true.
Checking Your Work
So now we’re going to check our work; what we’re going to do is we’re going to
substitute in the 5 for anywhere we see an xx.

3(5)−2=15−2=133(5)−2=15−2=13

Now let’s check it on the other side.

5+8=135+8=13

And these two values equal each other.

13=1313=13

A review of these steps is meaningful, because they remain pretty much the same
when solving inequalities. There is a case for some problems that require a small
adjustment to the inequality, but we will focus on that later.
How to Solve Inequalities
It is important to understand that while solving a linear equation results in one
solution, solving an inequality results in a set of many solutions. The solving
procedure determines the critical value or “boundary” that defines the solution set.
Notation
The notation of inequalities determines whether or not the critical value that results
from the solving process is included or not included in the solution set. Specifically,
the symbols < and > define a solution set that does not include the critical value.
This means that the inequality xx<1010 is all the set of numbers less than, but not
equal to, 10. Likewise, xx>2525 is the set of all numbers greater than, but not
equal to, 25.
We can modify this notation slightly to include the critical value that results from the
solving process. Note the line under the symbols: ≤≤ and ≥≥. Using the previous
x≤10x≤10 is the set of all numbers less than or equal to 10,
examples,
and x≥25x≥25 are those numbers greater than or equal to 25.
When inequalities are graphed on a number line, an open circle is used at the critical
value to indicate that is NOT included in the solution set, while a closed circle
indicates that it is included.

In this example, the closed circle means 4 is included in the solution set:

In this example, the open circle means -2 is not included in the solution set:

Let’s sort out this notation with a few examples of solving inequalities.

Example #1

3x+2≤173x+2≤17
The approach here will be the same as solving an equation, but the inequality
symbol will be interpreted differently.
The first step to isolate the variable term is to subtract 2 from both sides. This gives
us:

3x≤153x≤15

The second step is to determine the critical value of xx by dividing both sides by 3:

x≤5x≤5

The result, x≤5x≤5, states that all values of x that are less than or equal to 5 will
satisfy the original inequality.
Example #2
Let’s try another one:

24x−1>99−x24x−1>99−x

Remember, the inequality symbol is different in this example, which means that the
critical value you will find will not be included in the solution set.
The approach for this multi-step problem is to gather the variable terms to one side,
and the constant terms to the other. So we’re going to add 1 to both sides and we’re
also going to add x to both sides. This gives us:

25x>10025x>100

Then, we’ll divide both sides by 25.

x>4x>4

This gives us our critical value of 4 because x>4x>4. This final

inequality, x>4x>4, tells us that all values of x that are greater than but not equal
to 4 are in this solution set.
Example #3
As mentioned, there is a time when you must make an adjustment to the inequality
before the solution set is determined. When dividing or multiplying by a negative
value in the solving process, it is necessary to reverse the direction of the inequality
symbol! This is necessary because sign changes occur with these operations.

The following example illustrates this concept:

−5x≥20−5x≥20

There is only one step necessary in this inequality to determine the critical value.
Specifically, we need to divide both sides by -5. Because dividing a signed integer
results in a sign change, it is also necessary to reverse the direction of the inequality
symbol from ≥≥ to ≤≤. So divided by -5 on both sides. Remember to flip your
inequality sign and this results in:

x≤−4x≤−4

The solution set is all values of x that are less than or equal to -4.
Example #4
Let’s see if you can solve this last example on your own. Be sure to:

1. Notice the inequality symbol to determine whether the solution set will
include or NOT include the critical value
2. Make sure you change the direction of the inequality symbol if you have to
multiply or divide by a negative value in the solving process

−12x+2−12x+2 < −14x−8−14x−8

Pause the video and see what you can come up with.
Okay, let’s solve it together.

Gather the variable terms to one side, and the constant terms to the other. We’re
going to subtract 2 from both sides and add 14x14x to both sides. This leaves us
with −12x+14x=2x−12x+14x=2x is less than −8−2=−10−8−2=−10.

2x2x < −10−10

And then we’re going to divide by 2 on both sides, which gives us xx < −5−5.
Since we divided by +2 and not -2, we didn’t have to flip our inequality sign. So our
final solution set is the solution set of all values of xx that are less than but NOT
equal to -5. I hope this review of inequalities was helpful! Thanks for watching, and
happy studying!
Inequality Problems
Question #1:

Which of the following inequalities matches the graph below?

x<3
x>3
x≥3
x≤3
Show Answer
Question #2:

Solve the inequality 2x + 3 > 7.

x<2
x>2
x>5
x < -5
Show Answer
Question #3:

Solve the inequality -3x + 5 ≤ -16

x ≥ 16
x≥7
x ≤ 16
x≤7
Show Answer
Question #4:

Which statement about the graph of the inequality x <-2 is incorrect?

-2 is a solution to the inequality
The arrow of the graph will extend to the left
There will be an open circle on the value -2
-3 is a solution to the inequality
Show Answer
Question #5:

Solve the inequality -3(2x – 5) + 1 ≥ 4.

x≥2
x ≤ 1212
x≤2
x ≥ -2
Show Answer

Equalities
We know that an “equality,” or an equation, presents values that are equal to each
other. An equal sign is the notation that indicates an equation, and it symbolizes the
“balancing” of the expressions on either side.

In order to solve a linear equation, we use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and

division in a specific order to “isolate” the variable on one side of the equation, and a
constant on the other side. You have “solved” a linear equation when that variable
value is known. It is the one value that, when substituted back into the original
equation, will result in a “true” statement.
Solving a Linear Equation
For a quick review, let’s look at the following example:

Solve the equation for x x.

 3x−2=x+83x−2=x+8

First, we want to get our variables on one side and our constants on another. So I’m
going to add 2 to both sides. That gives us:

3x=x+103x=x+10

Then, I’m going to subtract xx from this side, and then this side as well (because we
want to do the same thing on both sides). That gives us:

2x=102x=10

And then to get xx by itself divide by 2 on both sides, which gives us:

x=5x=5

The equation states that the expression on the left side of the equal
sign, 3x−23x−2, is equivalent to the expression on the right side, x+8x+8. Our
goal is to find the one value of xx that makes this statement true.
Checking Your Work
So now we’re going to check our work; what we’re going to do is we’re going to
substitute in the 5 for anywhere we see an xx.

3(5)−2=15−2=133(5)−2=15−2=13

Now let’s check it on the other side.

5+8=135+8=13

And these two values equal each other.

13=1313=13

A review of these steps is meaningful, because they remain pretty much the same
when solving inequalities. There is a case for some problems that require a small
adjustment to the inequality, but we will focus on that later.
How to Solve Inequalities
It is important to understand that while solving a linear equation results in one
solution, solving an inequality results in a set of many solutions. The solving
procedure determines the critical value or “boundary” that defines the solution set.
Notation
The notation of inequalities determines whether or not the critical value that results
from the solving process is included or not included in the solution set. Specifically,
the symbols < and > define a solution set that does not include the critical value.
This means that the inequality xx<1010 is all the set of numbers less than, but not
equal to, 10. Likewise, xx>2525 is the set of all numbers greater than, but not
equal to, 25.
We can modify this notation slightly to include the critical value that results from the
solving process. Note the line under the symbols: ≤≤ and ≥≥. Using the previous
x≤10x≤10 is the set of all numbers less than or equal to 10,
examples,
and x≥25x≥25 are those numbers greater than or equal to 25.
When inequalities are graphed on a number line, an open circle is used at the critical
value to indicate that is NOT included in the solution set, while a closed circle
indicates that it is included.

In this example, the closed circle means 4 is included in the solution set:

In this example, the open circle means -2 is not included in the solution set:

Let’s sort out this notation with a few examples of solving inequalities.

Example #1

3x+2≤173x+2≤17

The approach here will be the same as solving an equation, but the inequality
symbol will be interpreted differently.
The first step to isolate the variable term is to subtract 2 from both sides. This gives
us:

3x≤153x≤15

The second step is to determine the critical value of xx by dividing both sides by 3:

x≤5x≤5
The result, x≤5x≤5, states that all values of x that are less than or equal to 5 will
satisfy the original inequality.
Example #2
Let’s try another one:

24x−1>99−x24x−1>99−x

Remember, the inequality symbol is different in this example, which means that the
critical value you will find will not be included in the solution set.
The approach for this multi-step problem is to gather the variable terms to one side,
and the constant terms to the other. So we’re going to add 1 to both sides and we’re
also going to add x to both sides. This gives us:

25x>10025x>100

Then, we’ll divide both sides by 25.

x>4x>4

This gives us our critical value of 4 because x>4x>4. This final

inequality, x>4x>4, tells us that all values of x that are greater than but not equal
to 4 are in this solution set.
Example #3
As mentioned, there is a time when you must make an adjustment to the inequality
before the solution set is determined. When dividing or multiplying by a negative
value in the solving process, it is necessary to reverse the direction of the inequality
symbol! This is necessary because sign changes occur with these operations.

The following example illustrates this concept:

−5x≥20−5x≥20

There is only one step necessary in this inequality to determine the critical value.
Specifically, we need to divide both sides by -5. Because dividing a signed integer
results in a sign change, it is also necessary to reverse the direction of the inequality
symbol from ≥≥ to ≤≤. So divided by -5 on both sides. Remember to flip your
inequality sign and this results in:

x≤−4x≤−4

The solution set is all values of x that are less than or equal to -4.
Example #4
Let’s see if you can solve this last example on your own. Be sure to:

1. Notice the inequality symbol to determine whether the solution set will
include or NOT include the critical value
 2. Make sure you change the direction of the inequality symbol if you have to
multiply or divide by a negative value in the solving process

−12x+2−12x+2 < −14x−8−14x−8

Pause the video and see what you can come up with.
Okay, let’s solve it together.

Gather the variable terms to one side, and the constant terms to the other. We’re
going to subtract 2 from both sides and add 14x14x to both sides. This leaves us
with −12x+14x=2x−12x+14x=2x is less than −8−2=−10−8−2=−10.

2x2x < −10−10

And then we’re going to divide by 2 on both sides, which gives us xx < −5−5.
Since we divided by +2 and not -2, we didn’t have to flip our inequality sign. So our
final solution set is the solution set of all values of xx that are less than but NOT
equal to -5. I hope this review of inequalities was helpful! Thanks for watching, and
happy studying!
Inequality Problems
Question #1:

Which of the following inequalities matches the graph below?

x<3
x>3
x≥3
x≤3
Show Answer
Question #2:

Solve the inequality 2x + 3 > 7.

x<2
x>2
x>5
x < -5
Show Answer
Question #3:

Solve the inequality -3x + 5 ≤ -16

x ≥ 16
x≥7
x ≤ 16
x≤7
Show Answer
Question #4:

Which statement about the graph of the inequality x <-2 is incorrect?

-2 is a solution to the inequality
The arrow of the graph will extend to the left
There will be an open circle on the value -2
-3 is a solution to the inequality
Show Answer
Question #5:

Solve the inequality -3(2x – 5) + 1 ≥ 4.

x≥2
x ≤ 1212
x≤2
x ≥ -2
Show Answer

What is an Absolute Value Inequality?

An absolute value inequality is an inequality that has an absolute value on one side
of the inequality.=

Remember, when you solve an absolute value equation, you come up with two
answers. An absolute value inequality is similar, except instead of two answers, your
answer will include all the numbers between the two that you found.

Solving Absolute Value Inequalities

To solve an absolute value inequality, remove the absolute value signs, and place
the expression between the positive and negative values of the inequality given to
you. Then, solve the problem like you would any other inequality expression,
remembering to do the same thing to all three parts of the expression.

Example #1
Let’s look at an example to see what I’m talking about.

|3x−4||3x−4|< 77

First, we remove the absolute value signs and place the expression between positive
and negative 7, like this:

−7−7< 3x–43x–4 < 77

Then, we solve for xx. First, we add 4 to each part.

 −3−3 < 3x3x < 1111

Now, divide by 3 to get xx by itself.

−1−1 < xx < 113113

And that’s your answer. Notice how you still solve for two different numbers, but
your answer is the range of numbers between those two.
Example #2
Let’s try another one.

|−2x+3||−2x+3| ≤ 99

First, get rid of the absolute value signs, and put the expression between -9 and 9.

−9−9 ≤ −2x+3−2x+3 ≤ 99

Then, subtract 3 from each part.

−12−12 ≤ −2x−2x ≤ 66

And finally, divide by -2. But remember, when you divide by a negative, you have to
flip the inequality signs.

66 ≥ xx ≥ −3−3

And there’s your answer!

Example #3
I want you to try one more, but this time pause the video and try to figure it out
yourself. Then, check your steps with mine.

|−5x–10||−5x–10| ≤ 1515

First, remove the absolute value signs and place your expression between -15 and
15.

−15−15 ≤ −5x–10−5x–10 ≤ 1515

Then, add 10 to all 3 parts.

 −5−5 ≤ −5x−5x ≤ 2525

Divide by -5, remembering to flip your signs since you’re dividing by a negative.

11 ≥ xx ≥ −5−5

And that’s all there is to it! I hope this video on solving absolute value inequalities
was helpful. Thanks for watching, and happy studying!
Absolute Value Inequalities Practice Questions
Question #1:

|5x+14|≤9|5x+14|≤9
−145≤x≤95−145≤x≤95
9≤x≤99≤x≤9
−23≤x≤−5−23≤x≤−5
−235≤x≤−1−235≤x≤−1
Show Answer
Question #2:

|7x−11||7x−11|<1212
−17−17<xx<237237
−12−12<xx<77
−1−1<xx<2323
−47−47<xx<167167
Show Answer
Question #3:

|7x+3|−2≤19|7x+3|−2≤19
−24≤x≤18−24≤x≤18
117≤x≤187117≤x≤187

−247≤x≤187−247≤x≤187
−187≤x≤247−187≤x≤247
Show Answer
Question #4:

12|6x−4|≤1712|6x−4|≤17
−30≤x≤38−30≤x≤38
−5≤x≤193−5≤x≤193
−30≤x≤193−30≤x≤193
−5≤x≤38−5≤x≤38
Show Answer
Question #5:

3|2x−5|+123|2x−5|+12<3939
−14−14<xx<44
−4−4<xx<1414
−7−7<xx<22
−2−2<xx<77
Show Answer