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CHAPTER 3
INEQUALITIES
INTRODUCTION
▪ An inequality in one variable is a statement containing the variable with one of
the inequality symbols.
< : less than
≤ : less than or equal to
> : greater than
≥ : greater than or equal to
PROPERTIES OF INEQUALITIES
If 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, 𝑝 ∈ ℝ, then
i. 𝑎 < 𝑏, 𝑎 = 𝑏 or 𝑎 > 𝑏
ii. 𝑎2 ≥ 0
iii. If 𝑎 < 𝑏 and 𝑏 < 𝑐, then 𝑎 < 𝑐
If 𝑎 > 𝑏 and 𝑏 > 𝑐, then 𝑎 > 𝑐
iv. If 𝑎 < 𝑏 then 𝑎 + 𝑐 < 𝑏 + 𝑐
If 𝑎 > 𝑏 then 𝑎 + 𝑐 > 𝑏 + 𝑐
𝑎 𝑏
v. If 𝑎 > 𝑏 and 𝑝 > 0 then 𝑎𝑝 > 𝑏𝑝 and >
𝑝 𝑝

𝑎 𝑏
vi. If 𝑎 > 𝑏 and 𝑝 < 0 then 𝑎𝑝 < 𝑏𝑝 and <
𝑝 𝑝
 𝑎 𝑏
vii. If 𝑎 < 𝑏 and 𝑝 > 0 then 𝑎𝑝 < 𝑏𝑝 and <
𝑝 𝑝

𝑎 𝑏
viii. If 𝑎 < 𝑏 and 𝑝 < 0 then 𝑎𝑝 > 𝑏𝑝 and >
𝑝 𝑝

ix. If 𝑎 > 𝑏 then 𝑎2 > 𝑏2 and 𝑎 > 𝑏

x. Let 𝑎 > 0, 𝑏 > 0

1 1
If 𝑎 > 𝑏 then <
𝑎 𝑏
1 1
If 𝑎 < 𝑏 then >
𝑎 𝑏
LINEAR INEQUALITIES IN ONE VARIABLE
▪ Apply the operations and use the properties of inequalities to solve the given
inequalities.
▪ Use a real number line to help you solve inequalities.

Example
1) 4𝑥 + 3 > 6
2) 1 + 𝑥 ≤ 7𝑥 + 5
3) 4 ≤ 3𝑥 − 12 < 13
Practice
Solve the following inequalities
i. 7𝑥 − 2 > 5𝑥 − 8
𝑥 𝑥−3
ii. ≤
6 5

𝑥−3 2𝑥+1
iii. 2+ ≥
4 5

iv. 2 𝑥 − 2 > 4 2𝑥 + 3
v. −6 ≤ 4 − 7𝑥 < 3
vi. −5 ≤ 2𝑥 − 3 ≤ 7
2𝑥−3
vii. −1 < ≤4
7

𝑥+4
viii. −𝑥 < ≤2
5
QUADRATIC INEQUALITIES
▪ Always put zero on the right hand side and the rest on the left hand side.
▪ Factorize the left hand side into 2 linear factors and then solve it.
▪ Quadratic inequalities can be solved by
1. Analytical method
i. Basic definition
ii. Real number line
iii. Table of signs
2. Graphical method
Basic definition
▪ Product of 2 positive or 2 negative real number is positive real number.
▪ Product of a positive and negative real number is negative real number.
▪ If 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑏 > 0, then
i. 𝑥 − 𝑎 > 0 AND 𝑥 − 𝑏 > 0
ii. 𝑥 − 𝑎 < 0 AND 𝑥 − 𝑏 < 0.
▪ If 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑏 < 0, then
i. 𝑥 − 𝑎 > 0 AND 𝑥 − 𝑏 < 0
ii. 𝑥 − 𝑎 < 0 AND 𝑥 − 𝑏 > 0.
▪ The solution is the union solutions of first set and second set.
Real number line
▪ Determine the values of 𝑥.
▪ If 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑏 > 0, then 𝑥 − 𝑎 > 0 AND 𝑥 − 𝑏 > 0
▪ If 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑏 < 0, then 𝑥 − 𝑎 > 0 AND 𝑥 − 𝑏 < 0 or 𝑥 − 𝑎 < 0 AND 𝑥 − 𝑏 > 0.
▪ Draw a real number line with arrow to the right or to the left depends on the inequalities.
▪ Use (+) and (-) as the symbol.
Table of sign
▪ The real number line is separated into intervals we obtain by setting 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑏 = 0.
▪ Test the values in each intervals.
▪ Use (+) and (-) as the symbol
▪ If 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑏 > 0, then the product of 𝑥 − 𝑎 and 𝑥 − 𝑏 is positive
▪ If 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑏 < 0, then the product of 𝑥 − 𝑎 and 𝑥 − 𝑏 is negative
Graphical method
▪ Sketch the graph of 𝑦 = 𝑥 − 𝑎 𝑥 − 𝑏 where the graph intersect the 𝑥-axis at 𝑎 and 𝑏.
( x − a )( x − b )  0 ( x − a )( x − b )  0

a b a b

x  a or x  b a xb
− ( x − a )( x − b )  0 − ( x − a )( x − b )  0

a b a b

x  a or x  b a xb
Example
Solve the quadratic inequality 𝑥 2 > 𝑥 + 2

Example
Solve 𝑥 2 − 10 < 3𝑥
Practice
Find the solution set of the following inequalities
i. 2𝑥 2 + 9𝑥 < 5
ii. 3 − 5𝑥 ≥ 2𝑥 2
iii. 4 + 3𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ≤ 0
iv. 3𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 5 > 0
v. 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1 > 0
vi. −𝑥 2 + 6𝑥 < 9
Practice
a) Find the set of values of 𝑘, so that the roots of the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑘𝑥 + 2𝑘 − 3 = 0
are not real.
b) Find the set of values of 𝑘 such that the equation 𝑥 2 + 3𝑘 − 7 𝑥 + 2𝑘 + 6 = 0
has real roots.
c) The expression 𝑝𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 3 is negative for all values of 𝑥. Find the values of 𝑝.
RATIONAL INEQUALITIES
𝑓(𝑥)
▪ Inequalities of the form are easier to solve using table of signs.
𝑔(𝑥)

REMARKS
❖ DO NOT cross multiply or multiply both side with 𝑔(𝑥).

❖ Move every terms in the right hand side to the left hand side.

❖ Whenever the inequality are ≤ or ≥, make sure to check the denominator

Example
Solve the inequality
1+𝑥
≤1
1−𝑥

Example
Solve the inequality
2 1
≥
𝑥+3 𝑥−3
Practice
Find the solution set of the following inequalities
30
∎𝑥+2− ≥0
𝑥+1
1
∎𝑥+ <0
4𝑥
𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 3
∎ 2
−1>0
𝑥 +1
𝑥2 − 9
∎ <0
𝑥+2
2𝑥 + 3
∎ ≥0
𝑥+3
𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 11
∎ <0
2𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 1
Practice
Find the solution set of the following inequalities
𝑥−5
∎ >1
1−𝑥
𝑥−1 𝑥
∎ >
𝑥+1 6
1 1
∎ <
2−𝑥 𝑥−3
𝑥 𝑥+2
∎ <𝑥+1
𝑥−3
ABSOLUTE VALUES
▪ The absolute value of a real number 𝑥 written as 𝑥 is defined by

−𝑥, if 𝑥 < 0
𝑥 =ቊ
𝑥, if 𝑥 ≥ 0

Example
Define the following absolute value
▪ 𝑥+3
▪ 2−𝑥
Properties of absolute values
For all real numbers 𝑎 and 𝑏
i. 𝑎 ≥0
ii. 𝑎 = −𝑎
iii. 𝑎+𝑏 = 𝑏+𝑎
iv. 𝑎−𝑏 = 𝑏−𝑎
v. 𝑎𝑏 = 𝑎 𝑏
𝑎 𝑎
vi. = , 𝑏 ≠0
𝑏 𝑏

vii. 𝑎 = 𝑎2
viii. 𝑥 < 𝑎 ↔ −𝑎 < 𝑥 < 𝑎
ix. 𝑥 > 𝑎 ↔ 𝑥 < −𝑎 or 𝑥 > 𝑎
x. 𝑥 = 𝑎 ↔ 𝑥 = 𝑎 or 𝑥 = −𝑎
Example
Solve the following equations
a) 𝑥+8 =5
b) 𝑥 + 4 = 3𝑥 − 10
c) 1 − 𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 5
d) 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 4 = 4
Example
Solve the following inequalities
a) 𝑥−1 <3
b) 3𝑥 + 2 ≥ 4
c) 𝑥 + 5 > 3𝑥 + 3
d) 3𝑥 − 9 > 2𝑥 + 1
e) 𝑥 − 1 ≤ 3𝑥 − 6
𝑥−1
f) >1
3𝑥+1
Practice
Solve the following inequalities
∎ 2𝑥 − 3 < 5
∎ 3 − 6𝑥 > 7
∎ 2𝑥 − 1 > 𝑥 + 2
∎ 2𝑥 + 1 < 4𝑥 − 2
∎ 3𝑥 + 4 ≥ 𝑥 + 2
∎ 7 − 3𝑥 ≥ 2𝑥 + 5
Practice
Find the solution set of the following inequalities
∎ 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 4 < 4

𝑥+1
∎ >1
𝑥

1 2
∎ ≤
𝑥 𝑥−1 𝑥

𝑥+1
∎ <2
𝑥−1

𝑥−1
∎ ≥3
𝑥+2
∎ 𝑥 2 − 4 ≤ 3𝑥