SOLVING

RATIONAL
INEQUALITIES
INTERVAL AND SET
NOTATION

An inequality may have infinitely many solutions.

The set of all solutions can be expressed using set
notation or interval notation.
INTERVAL AND SET
NOTATION
INTERVAL AND SET
NOTATION

Ex. If -2 < x < 2

Interval: (-2, 2)
Set Notation: { x|-2 < x < 2 }
INTERVAL AND SET
NOTATION

Ex. If 0≤𝑥≤3
Interval: [0, 3]
Set Notation: { x| 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 3 }
INTERVAL AND SET
NOTATION

Ex. If −1 ≤ 𝑥 < 2 and 0.5 < 𝑥 ≤ 4

Interval: and
Set Notation: and
Graph:
INTERVAL AND SET
NOTATION

Ex. If 𝑥 > −2
Interval: (-2, ∞)
Set Notation: { x|𝑥 > -2 }
INTERVAL AND SET NOTATION

1
Ex. If 𝑥 ≥ 2

Interval: [ 2 , ∞)
1

1
Set Notation: { x|𝑥 ≥ 2
}
INTERVAL AND SET
NOTATION

Ex. If

Interval:
Set Notation:
INTERVAL AND SET NOTATION

Ex. If x < -1
Interval:
Set Notation:
 PROCEDURE FOR SOLVING
RATIONAL INEQUALITIES

To solve rational inequalities

a. Rewrite the inequality as a single fraction on one

side of the inequality symbol and 0 on the other
side.
b. Determine over what intervals the fraction takes
on positive and negative values.
 SOLVING RATIONAL INEQUALITIES
Example 1:
Solve the inequality

𝟐𝒙
≥𝟏
𝒙+𝟏
 SOLVING RATIONAL INEQUALITIES
Example 1: Solve the inequality

𝟐𝒙
≥𝟏
𝒙+𝟏

The solution set is 𝒙 ∈ ℝ|𝒙 < −𝟏 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 ≥ 𝟏

The interval notation: −∞, −𝟏 𝖴 [𝟏, ∞)
 SOLVING RATIONAL INEQUALITIES
Example 2:
Solve the inequality

𝟑 𝟏
<
𝒙−𝟐 𝒙
 Solving Rational Inequalities
Where is this true?

Notice, we're asking when is positive?

Or, graphically, for what x is above the x­axis?

To know this, we need to know where f(x) changes sign.

Graph f(x) in Y1 in your calculator, and see if you can tell where
f(x) changes sign. Where does it go from being below the x­axis, to
above it? Or vice versa?
As we can see, f(x)
changes sign when
x = 0, and rather
dramatically when
x = 1.

Notice it's crossing the x­axis

when the numerator is zero,
and the vertical asymptote
occurs when the
denominator is zero.
Expected solution of is...
This observation suggests a method of solving analytically.

numerator: x = 0 denominator: x ­1 = 0
x=1
true false
true
0 1
Check ­10: Check .5: Check 10:

What values of x make the inequality true?

or we could write:
 Example 2: For our method to work, it is
essential that one side is 0!

Combine terms so we can

consider one fraction!

continued...
 Now to find where the numerator and denominator = 0!

Numerator: Denominator:

­3 ­2 2

Solution:
Let's check this by graphing Recall, we said this function is
above the x­axis when
Practice:
(notice it wants solutions
A)
when ≤ 0. Where is it
NEGATIVE?)
B)

C)

(solutions provided on following slides...)

 numerator = 0 denominator = 0
when x = 1 when x = ­2

­2 1
positive positive
F negative F
T
solution:
 numerator = 0 denominator = 0
nowhere! x=1

1
negative F Positive T

solution: x > 1
 numerator = 0 denominator = 0
x = ­2, x = ­3 x = ­1, x = 5
­3 ­2 ­1 5
positive negative positive
F negative positive F T F
T

Solution:
ASSIGNMENT