MODULE 6: INEQUALITIES

Objectives:

At the end of this module, the students will be able to:

1. Determine when to use properties of inequalities.
2. Solve the following linear inequalities, quadratic inequalities and rational inequalities.
3. Graph the solution set of the given inequalities.
Introduction:

An equation is defined earlier as a statement that two quantities or expressions are

equal. But, we also often encounter expressions that are not equal, one expression is
greater than, less than, greater than or equal to, or less than or equal to the other. These
expressions are called inequalities. Hence, an inequality is a statement that expresses the
inequality of algebraic expressions.
If x and y are any two quantities, we can express their inequalities using inequality
symbols in the following manner:
x y x is greater than y
x y x is less than y
x y x is greater than or equal to y
x y x is less than or equal to y
In algebra, the values of numbers may be easily compared by their location or position
on the number line. For instance,  8 is less than  2 , since  8 is on the left of  2 on the
number line. They can also be compared by their distances from 0 on the number line. If x
and y are both negative numbers, x is less than y if its distance from 0 is greater than y on
the number line; if both are positive numbers, x is greater than y if the distance of x is greater
than the distance of y from 0.
Thus, we can write the inequalities of  8 and  2 , and 5 and 7 in symbols as follows:
 8 <  2 or  2 >  8 , and 5<7 or 7>5.
A real number x is positive if x  0 and negative if x  0 . Similarly, ,x>y if x-y>0 ans x,y
if x-y<0.

Pre-test:
Solve the following inequalities.
3x  5 1
1. 2
2 2
x5
2. 2 0
x 4
3. x 2  x  6  0
Pre-test Feedback:
8  8
1. SS : x   or   , 
3  3
2. SS :  ,5   2,2 
3. SS :  ,2   3,  

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 There are two kinds of inequality, namely, the absolute inequality and the conditional
inequality. An absolute inequality, is an inequality that is true for all the real values of the
variable/s like  x  y   2 . A conditional inequality that is true only for specific values of the
2

variable. For example, x  2  2 is a conditional inequality since it is true only if x  4.

Equivalent inequalities are inequalities that have the same solution set. The inequalities
x  2  5 and x  4  11 which have the same solution set  x  7  are equivalent inequalities.
In this module, we will discuss the solutions of inequalities. A linear inequality contains a
variable of the first degree, while quadratic inequality has a second degree variable. An
absolute value inequality involves an absolute value in its variable. Rational inequality an
inequality which contains rational expression. An example of a linear inequality is
2 x  4  3  5 x, a quadratic inequality is 5 x 2  3 x  2  2 x  5, an absolute value inequality is
x 1
2 x  3  4 and a rational inequality 2.
3 x

Properties of Inequalities

1. Addition/Subtraction Property. The inequality is unchanged if the same number is

added to or subtracted from both sides of the inequality. If a,b, and c are real numbers, and if
a>b, then a+c>b+c; and a-c>b-c. Note that this properly follows the rule on transposition on
equality.
2. Multiplication/Division Property. The inequality is unchanged if both sides of the
inequality are multiplied or divided by the same negative number. If a,b, and c are real
a b
numbers, and if a>b and c<0, then ac<bc and  .
c c
3. Transitive Property. If a,b and c are real numbers, and if a>b and b>c, then a>c.

Solutions of Inequalities

The solution of an inequality is the value of the variable that makes the inequality a true
statement. If the solution is composed of several values, then the set of all the solution is the
solution set.
The solution of the inequalities x  a, x  a, x  a, and x  a, where x is the variable and a
is constant can be written in the following intervals:

x  a  a,  
x  a  a,  
x  a   , a 
x  a   , a 

Linear Inequalities

Illustrative Examples: Solve the following linear inequalities:

1. 3 x  5  2 x  6 Answer: SS : x  11 or  ,11
2. 2 x  5  5 x  7  Answer: SS : x  10 or 10,  
3.  45  2 x   4 Answer: SS : x  3 or  ,3

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Absolute Value Inequalities

The methods used in solving equations involving absolute values shall be applied also in
solving absolute value inequalities.
If x is the variable, a and b are constants, and c>0, then the rules for absolute values
inequalities are:
1. ax  b  c is equivalent to  c  ax  b  c
2. ax  b  c is equivalent to ax  b  c or ax  b  c
Illustrative Examples: Solve the following absolute value inequalities.
1. x  5  6 Answer: SS : 1  x  11 or  1,11
2. 2 x  3  7 Answer: SS : 5  x  2 or  5,2
3. If twice a number x is divided by 3 is added to 5, Answer: SS : x  6 or x  21
then the result is an absolute value greater than  ,21  6,  
9. Find the solution set.

Quadratic Inequalities

A quadratic inequality, as defined earlier, is an equality where the variable x is of the

second degree. A quadratic inequality can be expressed in any of the following forms:

ax 2  bx  c  0
ax 2  bx  c  0
ax 2  bx  c  0
ax 2  bx  c  0
A quadratic inequality is solved by the following methods used in solving quadratic
equations. But instead of solving for the exact values of the equality, we shall solve for the
boundary values of the inequality. Thus we will solve quadratic inequalities by applying three
ways of solving quadratic equations, namely, by factoring, completing the square, and use of
the quadratic formula. However, the properties of inequalities are to be observed.

Illustrative Examples: Solve the following quadratic inequalities.

1. x 2  x  6 Answer: SS :  ,23,  
1 
2. 3 x 2  5 x  2 by completing the square Answer: SS :  ,2   ,  
3 

Rational Inequality

Illustrative Examples: Solve the following rational inequalities.

3 x  10
1. 2 Answer: SS :  ,24,  
x4
x 2  x  12
2. 0 Answer: SS :  ,4  1,3
x 1
x3
3. 2 0 Answer: SS :  3,1  4,  
x  5x  4

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Practice Exercise A: Solve the following linear inequalities and graph the solution set.
1. x  5  3
2. 2 x  5  15
3. 4  3 x  36
4. 3 x  5  4
x
5. 4   15
4

Practice Exercise B: Solve the following absolute value inequalities and graph the solution set.
1 1
1. x   2
3 2

2. x  2  5

3
3. x  2  12
4

4. x  5  2

5. 4 x  5  25

Practice Exercise C: Find the solution set of each of the following quadratic inequalities.
1. x 2  7 x  12

2. 2 x 2  x  6

3. x 2  1  24

4. 6 x 2  7 x  5

x 2 13 x
5.   6
6 6
Practice Exercise D: Find the solution set of each of the following rational inequalities.
x6
1. 2
0
x  5 x  24
x5
2. 0
x4
x7
3. 0
x 1

4.
x  3x  5  0
x  2

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5.
x  7 x  3  0
x  52

Post test:

Solve the following inequalities.

3x  5 1
1. 2
2 2
x5
2. 2 0
x 4
3. x 2  x  6  0

Post test Feedback:

8  8
1. SS : x   or   , 
3  3
2. SS :  ,5   2,2 
3. SS :  ,2   3,  