Solving rational inequalities is very similar to solving polynomial inequalities.

But becauserational
expressions have denominators (and therefore may have places where they're not defined), you have to
be a little more careful in finding your solutions.
To solve a rational inequality, you first find the zeroes (from the numerator) and the undefined points (from
the denominator). You use these zeroes and undefined points to divide the number line into intervals.
Then you find the sign of the rational on each interval.

Solve the following:

ADVERTISEMENT

First, I'll factor everything:

This polynomial fraction will be zero wherever the

numerator is zero, so I'll set the numerator equal
to zero and solve:

(x + 2)(x + 1) = 0
x + 2 = 0 or x + 1 = 0
x = 2 or x = 1
The fraction will be undefined wherever
the denominator is zero, so I'll set the denominator equal to zero and solve:

(x + 4)(x 4) = 0
x + 4 = 0 or x 4 = 0
x = 4 or x = 4
These four values, 4,

2, 1, and 4, divide the number line into five intervals, namely:

(infinity, 4), (4, 2), (2, 1), (1, 4), and (4, +infinity).
I could use "test points" to find the solution to the inequality, by picking an x-value in each interval,
plugging it into the original rational expression, simplifying to get a numerical answer, and then
checking the sign, but that process gets long and annoying (and is prone to errors), so I'll use the
easier and faster factor-table method instead.

My factor table looks like this:

My table has one row for each

factor, a row for the number line,
and a row for the rational
expression. Each row is split into
columns, with each column
corresponding to one of the
intervals on the number line.

The sign of the rational expression is a result of the signs of its various factors, so I need to find
where each factor is positive: Copyright Elizabeth Stapel 2005-2011 All Rights Reserved

x+4>0
x+2>0
x+1>0
x4>0

for
for
for
for

x > 4
x > 2
x > 1
x>4

Now I can put "plus" signs on the intervals in each row where that row's factor is positive:

Wherever a factor isn't positive, it's negative, so I'll put "minus" signs in the other intervals of each
row:

Multiplying the signs down the columns, I get the overall sign on the original rational expression
on each interval:

Then the rational is positive on the intervals

(infinity, 4), (2, 1), and (4, +infinity).

Looking back at the original exercise, this is an "or equal to" inequality, so I need to consider the
interval endpoints, too. If this were a polynomial inequality, I could just throw all the interval
endpoints into the solution, and I'd be done. For rationals, though, I have to be careful not to
include any x-values that would cause division by zero.
The intervals' endpoints are 4, 2, 1, and 4. I can include 2 and 1 in the solution, because
they just make the expression equal to zero by making the numerator zero. But plugging in
4 or4 would cause division by zero, making the rational expression undefined, so I can't include
these values in the solution.
Then the full solution is:

If you have to write your solution in "inequality" notation, it would look like this:

x < 4, 2 < x < 1, and x > 4

Don't forget: "Infinity" is not a "number" in the way that, say, " 2" is. "Infinity" cannot be "included" in your
solution, so never draw a square bracket next to an "infinity" "endpoint".
In the previous example, the sign of the rational expression alternated with the intervals. Don't assume
that this will always be true.

Solve the following:

This is already factored for me, so I don't have to bother with that. I'll go straight to finding the
zeroes (from the numerator) and the undefined points (from the denominator):

2x 10 = 0

3x=0

x2 + 5 = 0

x2=0

2x = 10

3=x

x2 = 5

x=2

x = 5

no solution

So the number line is split into the intervals

Now I'll find where each factor is positive:

(infinity, 5), (5, 2), (2, 3), and (3, +infinity).

2x 10 > 0

3x>0

x2 + 5 > 0

x2>0

2x > 10

3>x

x2 > 5

x>2

x < 5

x<3

always true

The negative factor, 2x 10, and the "backwards" factor, 3

inequalities, so the factor table looks like this:

x, gave me "backwards"

(The "x 2" factor is listed twice, because that factor occurs twice. If that factor had been cubed,
it would have been listed in the table three times. The x2 + 5 factor has all "plus" signs in its row,
because this factor is never zero or negative.)
Looking at the signs in the bottom row, I see that the rational expression is negative on the
intervals (5, 2) and (2, 3). Since this problem is not an "or equal to" inequality, I don't need to
consider the endpoints; I know they don't belong in the solution. But I do need to remember
thatx = 2 is not part of the solution, and I must resist the impulse to join these two intervals
together (by throwing in x = 2) to get an incorrect solution of (5, 3).
Since I can't include x

= 2, the solution is two separate intervals:

(5, 2) and (2, 3)

Note: If you'd factored the 2x 10 and the 3 x factors to convert them to the usual form for factors,
you would have gotten the same zeroes, the same intervals, and the same final answer. The only
difference would have been the inclusion of an additional factor in the factor table. First, you'd have
factored: Copyright Elizabeth Stapel 2005-2011 All Rights Reserved

Then you'd have found the endpoints and the signs on each interval:

2>0
always

x+5>0
x > 5

x3>0
x>3

x2 + 5 > 0
x2 > 5
always

x2>0
x>2

And then you'd have filled out your (only slightly longer) factor table, and would then have read off the
solution from the bottom row:

The solution would still have been the same two intervals:

(5, 2) and (2, 3)

When working these problems, remember to be careful of constant factors (like " 2") and backwards
factors (like "3 x"). And make sure to be careful about which endpoints you include for "or equal to"
inequalities. But as long as you are methodical in factoring, in finding the zeros and the undefined points,
and in finding the signs of each factor on each interval, you should consistently get the right answers.

A rational inequality is an inequality which contains a rational expression. When

solving
these rational inequalities, there are steps that lead us to the solution.
To solve Rational Inequalities:
(1) Write the inequality as an equation, and solve the equation.
(2) Determine any values that make the denominator equal 0.
(3) On a number line, mark each of the critical values from steps 1 and 2.
These values will create intervals on the number line.
(4) Select a test point in each interval, and check to see if that test point
satisfies the inequality. (Find the intervals which satisfy the inequality).
(5) Mark the number line to reflect the values and intervals that satisfy
the inequality.
(6) State your answer using the desired form of notation.

Example 1: Solve

Create an equation. Change < to =, and

solve. Notice that if x = -5, the
denominator is 0.

Multiply both sides by (x + 5)

to eliminate the fraction.
You could also "cross-multiply".
In a proportion the product of the means
equals the product of the extremes.

Critical values are

and

On the number line, plot -5

and -8. Since -5 cannot be
used, it is an open circle.

The inequality is strictly "less

than", so the -8 is also
an open circle.

Test a point in each of the three intervals formed:

Stated as an inequality,
the solution is:

Stated in interval notation,

the solution is:

When the numerator of the inequality is a quadratic expression, combine the

Quadratic Inequality method of solution with this Rational Inequality method.
Check out this example.

Example 2: Solve
Separate the numerator,

form an equation,
and solve this quadratic equation.
Factor, and find the solutions
or critical values for the numerator.
Also keep in mind that the
denominator has
as a critical value as well.
Since x = 2 creates an undefined
expression, it is drawn as an
open circle on the number line.

Place the critical values on a number line. Since the inequality is greater than or
equal to, the
are drawn on the number line as a solid circle, which
means to include them as part of the answer. Test the intervals that are formed.

In interval notation,
the solution is:

The solution is:

Rational Inequalities
In this section we will solve inequalities that involve rational expressions. The process for
solving rational inequalities is nearly identical to the process for solving polynomial
inequalities with a few minor differences.
Lets just jump straight into some examples.

Example 1 Solve

Solution
Before we get into solving these we need to point out that these DONT solve in the same way
that weve solve equations that contained rational expressions. With equations the first thing
that we always did was clear out the denominators by multiplying by the least common
denominator. That wont work with these however.
Since we dont know the value of x we cant multiply both sides by anything that contains
an x. Recall that if we multiply both sides of an inequality by a negative number we will need
to switch the direction of the inequality. However, since we dont know the value of x we
dont know if the denominator is positive or negative and so we wont know if we need to
switch the direction of the inequality or not. In fact, to make matters worse, the denominator
will be both positive and negative for values of x in the solution and so that will create real
problems.
So, we need to leave the rational expression in the inequality.
Now, the basic process here is the same as with polynomial inequalities. The first step is to get
a zero on one side and write the other side as a single rational inequality. This has already
been done for us here.

The next step is to factor the numerator and denominator as much as possible. Again, this has
already been done for us in this case.
The next step is to determine where both the numerator and the denominator are zero. In this
case these values are.

Now, we need these numbers for a couple of reasons. First, just like with polynomial
inequalities these are the only numbers where the rational expression may change sign. So,
well build a number line using these points to define ranges out of which to pick test points
just like we did with polynomial inequalities.
There is another reason for needing the value of x that make the denominator zero however.
No matter what else is going on here we do have a rational expression and that means we need
to avoid division by zero and so knowing where the denominator is zero will give us the values
of x to avoid for this.
Here is the number line for this inequality.

So, we need regions that make the rational expression negative. That means the middle
region. Also, since weve got an or equal to part in the inequality we also need to include
where the inequality is zero, so this means we include
. Notice that we
will also need to avoid
since that gives division by zero.
The solution for this inequality is,

Example 2 Solve
.
Solution
Weve got zero on one side so lets first factor the numerator and determine where the
numerator and denominator are both zero.

Here is the number line for this one.

In the problem we are after values of x that make the inequality strictly positive and so that
looks like the second and fourth region and we wont include any of the endpoints here. The
solution is then,

Example 3 Solve
.
Solution
There really isnt too much to this example. Well first need to factor the numerator and then

determine where the numerator and denominator are zero.

The number line for this problem is,

So, as with the polynomial inequalities we can not just assume that the regions will always
alternate in sign. Also, note that while the middle two regions do give negative values in the
rational expression we need to avoid
to make sure we dont get division by
zero. This means that we will have to write the answer as two inequalities and/or intervals.

Once again, its important to note that we really do need to test each region and not just assume
that the regions will alternate in sign.
Next we need to take a look at some examples that dont already have a zero on one side of the
inequality.

Example 4 Solve
Solution

The first thing that we need to do here is subtract 1 from both sides and then get everything
into a single rational expression.

In this case there is no factoring to do so we can go straight to identifying where the numerator
and denominator are zero.

Here is the number line for this problem.

Okay, we want values of x that give positive and/or zero in the rational expression. This looks
like the outer two regions as well as
. As with the first example we will
need to avoid
since that will give a division by zero error.
The solution for this problem is then,

Example 5 Solve
.
Solution
So, again, the first thing to do is to get a zero on one side and then get everything into a single
rational expression.

We also factored the numerator above so we can now determine where the numerator and
denominator are zero.

Here is the number line for this problem.

The solution for this inequality is then,