Chapter 6

Equations and Inequations

Equations in mathematics are statements asserting that two expressions are equal.
Normally equations contain variables, but not necessarily. For example 2x + 5 = 7
and y = 0 are two equations containing variables, however, 2 + 5 = 7 is an equation
without variables. Moreover, equations may contain multiple variables, e.g., x + 3 =
y − 1 or 2x1 + 3x2 − 1 = 4x3 .

6.1 Equations on one variable

Solving equations on one variable requires linear transformations or applying the
formula for quadratic equations. There are in fact three situation that may arise
during the solution:

• one or several single solutions;

• infinitely many solutions;

• no solution what-so-ever.

In order to illustrate those, we give an example for any of them.

Consider the equations 2x + 3 = 5, here we have one single solution x = 1.
Another example is x2 = 4, where we have two single solutions namely x1 = 2 and
x2 = −2.
The situation of having infinitely many solutions comes from trivial equalities,
e.g., x = x, or 5 = 5. Of course, in many cases such a trivial equality is not obvious
at the beginning and we need performing linear transformations in order to obtain

67
68 CHAPTER 6. EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS

it. For example, (2 + 2x) · 4 − x2 + 1 = 9 + 8x − x2 , leads to a trivial equality and

here any real x is a solution.
The situation of having no solution comes from a contradictory equation, for
example 4 = 5. As an example of a non-obvious contradictory equation we consider
(2 + 2x) · 4 − x2 + 1 = 8 + 8x − x2 .

1. Solve each of the following linear (quasi-linear) equations:

1. 2x − 12 = 7x − (1 − 3x − (4 − 5x))

2. 12x − (5 + (2x − 7) − (4x − 9)) + 13 =

= (5x − (7 + 11x) − 3) − (2 − (3 + 4x) − 15x)

3. 7x − 5 − (−2x + 8 − (5x − 5 − (−x + 3))) =

= 12x − 22 + (3x + 1 − (x + 3))

4. 2x − 7 − (−9x + 8 − (−(−2x + 8) + 7x + (−2x − 3) − 8)) = 17x − 29

5. 3x − 5 − (x + 8 − (3x + 5 − (x − 1) − (−x + 3) + 4) − 7x) = 11x − 5

6. 3y + 4(y − 3) = 5y − 3(y − 1)

7. 8x − 5(x − 2) = 4 − 3(x − 5)

8. 3(2x − 8) − 2(4 − 3x) = 20x

9. 4(2z + 3) − 3(4 − 3z) + 2(4z − 7) = −29

10. (6x − 5)(4x + 3) = 3x(8x + 11)

11. x(x − 4) + 2x2 = 3(x + 2)(x − 3)

12. 7(x + 5) − 3(x − 4(3 − x)) − 1 = 5(3 + (2x − 7)) + 60

13. 3(2x + 7)(2x − 1) = (4x − 3)(3x + 7)

14. (3x − 2)(5x + 4) = 5x(3x − 1)

15. (x + 2)(x + 3) − (x − 1)(x − 2) = (x + 3)(x + 4) − (x − 3)(x − 5)

16. (4y − 5)(5y − 2) − (y − 4)(2y − 7) = (3y − 4)(6y + 1) − 5

17. (x + 3)2 = x2 + 21
6.1. EQUATIONS ON ONE VARIABLE 69

18. (2x − 5)2 − (2x + 3)(2x − 3) = 4

19. (3x + 4)2 + (5x − 3)2 + (2x − 5)2 = 2(19x + 100)(x − 2)

20. 9(x − 3)2 + 4(2x + 1)2 = (5x − 2)2

2. Solve each of the following quadratic equations:

Remark: Note that some of the equations will have two different solutions, some
other will have no solution. It may also happen that for some of the equations there
are infinitely many solutions.

1. x2 = 49

2. 16x2 = 121

3. 9x2 = −31

4. 13x2 = 0
x2
5. 2.4
= 6.7

6. 36x2 + 25 = 0

7. x2 + 5x = 0
x2
8. 3
− 2x = 0
5x2 3x
9. 6
− 11
=0

10. x2 − 5x + 6 = 0

11. x2 − 10x + 24 = 0

12. x2 − 8x + 15 = 0

13. x2 + 13x + 42 = 0

14. x2 − 11x + 28 = 0

15. x2 + 7x − 18 = 0

16. 12x2 − 7x + 1 = 0

17. 3x2 − 16x + 5 = 0

70 CHAPTER 6. EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS

18. 15x2 − x − 2 = 0

19. (x + 3)2 = 146 − (x − 3)2

20. 2 + 3x)2 = (3 + x)(5x − 3) + 13

21. (2x − 3)2 + (2x − 4)2 = 4(x − 1)2

3. Solve each of the following fractional equations. Verify then the

solutions:

7 3 35
1. x+3
= x−2
− x2 −9

3x−10 x−4
2. x−2
− x+1
=1
2x+2 120 x+17
3. x−5
= x2 −25
+ x+5

3x−1 88 3x+23
4. x−4
= x2 −16
+ x+4

x−2 2x−7
5. x+2
= 3x−8

3x−13 2x−7
6. 11−x
= 2x−1

3x+2 1−2x 19
7. x−9
− x+3
= (x−9)(x+3)

x+1 5−3x 10
8. 2x−3
− 2x+3
= 4x2 −9

x+2 1−3x 8x2 +2x+7

9. 2x−1
− 2x+3
= (2x−1)(2x+3)

12 3x
10. x+3
= 2x+6

4. For each of the following sets of solutions define three different

polynomial-like equations and transform them into polynomial form:

1. L = {4, 5}

2. L = {−2, 6}
6.1. EQUATIONS ON ONE VARIABLE 71

3. L = {−4, −5}

4. L = {−5, 3}

5. L = {−7, 5}

6. L = {3, 0}

7. L = {0, 1, 2}

8. L = {0, −1, 1, 2, −2}

5. Solve each of the following polynomial equations:

1. x3 + 2x2 − 5x − 6 = 0, provided x1 = −3

2. 2x3 − 3x2 − 39x + 20 = 0, provided x1 = 5

3. 2x3 + 5x2 + 4x + 1 = 0, provided x1 = − 21

4. x4 + 2x3 − 13x2 − 14x + 24 = 0, provided x1 = 1, x2 = −2

5. 6x4 + 7x3 − 11x2 − 7x + 5 = 0, provided x1 = 21 , x2 = − 53

6. 6x4 − 19x3 + 14x2 + x − 2 = 0, provided x1 = − 13 , x2 = 1

6. Solve each of the following biquadratic equations:

1. x4 − 13x2 + 36 = 0

2. x4 + 2x2 − 15 = 0

7. Solve each of the following fractional equations. Verify then the

solutions:

x x x x x x
1. 3
+ 4
+ 6
+ 10
+ 12
+ 15
=1
72 CHAPTER 6. EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS

x−3 x
2. 10
=1+ 15

x−7 x
3. 10
=2− 35

5−3x 7−2x 2−7x

4. 6
+ 10
+ 15
=0
x+7 4−x 3x
5. 3
− 4
−3= 8

2 4
6. 3x
− x
= 1 23
5
7. x−6
= 2 12
3 2
8. 2x−1
= x+3

2 1 1
9. x+1
− x
= x+4

1 1 5
10. 3x−6
+ 2x+6
= 6x

4 3 7
11. 3x−9
− 4x−16
= 12x

x x
12. x−1
= 1−x

3(x−6) 4(x−4)
13. x+2
= x+2

x−2 x−2
14. 2x+6
− 3x+9
=1
3x+1 5x−1 7x+5
15. 4x−10
+ 6x−15
− 10x−25
= 1 35
x 5 1
16. x2 −6x+9
− x2 −3x
= x

9−x 3x−5 4x−3

17. 6x−18
− 6−2x
= 3x−9

3x−1 10x+3 3x2 +7

18. 3x−6
− 6x2 +12x
= 3x2 −12

x−1 x2 −1 6x+11
19. 2x−6
− 2x2 −18
= 6x2 +18x

1 1 2
20. x2 −2x
− x2 +2x
= x2 −4

5 3 2(x+8)
21. x−2
− x+2
= x2 −4

1 2 1
22. x2 +3x
= x2 −9
+ x2 −3x

1 6 1
23. x−3
− x2 −9
= x+3

3 4 8
24. 2(x+1)
+ 3(1−x)
= 3(1−x2 )
6.1. EQUATIONS ON ONE VARIABLE 73

x 9 1
25. x2 +6x+9
− 9−x2
= x−3

3 2 1
26. x+1
= x+2
+ x−1

8. Solve each of the following fractional equations. Verify then the

solutions:
x
+1 x+ 21
1. 3
x
−1
= x− 29
3

x
+1 x+ 35
2. 5
x
− 1 = x− 10
5 2 3

16 8
3. y 2 −16
−2= y−4
−1
2 1 y 2 −4
4. y 2 −4
− y(y−2)
= y 2 +2y

3(k−1)
5. − 2k+7
k+2
+ k−2
= 17
k2 −4

3x+2 3x2 +1 16x+114

6. 2x−4
− 2x2 −8
= 4x2 +8x

9. Solve each of the following radical equations. Verify then the

solutions:
√
1. 2x = 3
√
2. 5 x=3
√
3. 2x = −3
√
4. 5 x = −3
√
5. x+4=7
√
6. x−2=1
√
7. 5 x+6=2
√ √
8. x+4+ x−1=5
74 CHAPTER 6. EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS
√ √
9. 4x + 1 + 1 = 2 x + 2
√ √
10. 2x + 4 + 4x + 1 = 9
√ √
11. 2x + 5 − x − 6 = 3
√ √
12. x−5+2= 7+x
√ √
13. 9= x+8+ x−1
√ √ √
14. 5 + x + x = 4x + 9
√ √
15. 2x − 5 + 3 = 5x + 1
p √
16. 2(x − 1) + 3x + 1 = 2
6.2. INEQUALITIES 75

6.2 Inequalities

1. Solve each of the following inequalities:

1. x + 3 < 7

2. x − 2 ≤ 3

3. x + 1 < −3

4. 7x − 3 < 4x + 17
3x+5
5. 4
−3<8−x
17−3x 5x−11 8x−7 x+5
6. 18
− 12
+2< 9
− 6
3x−2 1−2x 13x+5 5x
7. 7
− 3
−x> 14
− 6

2. Solve each of the following inequalities:

1. x2 > 0

2. x2 ≥ 0

3. x2 < 0

4. x2 ≤ 0

5. x2 > 4

6. x2 ≥ 9

7. x2 < 16

8. x2 ≤ 25

9. −x2 > 4

10. −x2 ≥ 9
76 CHAPTER 6. EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS

11. −x2 < 16

12. −x2 ≤ 25

13. (8 − 5x)2 + 16(3x − 2)2 < (19 − 13x)2 + 655

14. (x − 5)3 > x(x − 8)2 + x(x − 39) + 5(10x − 7)

15. 4x(x − 1)3 < (2x2 + 3)2 − 12x(x − 2)(x + 2) − 52x

6.3. EQUATIONS ON TWO OR MORE VARIABLES 77

6.3 Equations on two or more variables

Suppose we are given two equations on two variables – we often say that they form
a system of equations. Each of the equations provides information about the rela-
tionship between the two variables. If the two pieces of information are completing
each other then we may resolve them and find single values of the variables for which
the two equations hold – those are the solutions. If the two equations provide the
same piece of information, then there will be infinitely many pairs of solutions. Note
that here not any pair of numbers will be a solution but only those which fulfill the
relationship defined by one of the equations. There is one more possibility, namely
if the two pieces of information are contradictory. Then, the system formed by the
equations will have no solution.
In other words, there are the following three situations:

• the system has one or several single pairs of solutions;

• the system has infinitely many pairs of solutions;

• the system has no solution what-so-ever.

In order to illustrate those, we give an example for any of them.

Consider the equations x + y = 2 and x − y = 0. Here we have one single pair
of solutions: x = 1, y = 1.
The situation of having infinitely many pairs of solutions comes from repetition
of the information, e.g., x + y = 2 and x + y = 2. Here solutions are x = 1, y = 1;
x = 2, y = 0; x = 0, y = 2; etc. Of course, in many cases such repetition is not
obvious at the beginning and we need performing linear transformations in order to
obtain it. For example, x + y = 2 and 2x + 3y = 4 + y.
The situation of having no solution comes from contradictory pieces of infor-
mation, for example x = y, x = y + 1.

1. Solve each of the following systems of equations:

1. x + y = 24
x−y =4

2. x + y23
x−y =1
78 CHAPTER 6. EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS

3. 5x − 3y = 9
x + 6y = 15

4. x + 9y = 39
5x − 3y = 3

5. 2x + 3y = −1
x − 2y = −4

6. 5x − 18y = 9
8x + 3y = 78

7. 10x − 3y = 58
16x − 9y = 76

8. x + 2y = 8
2x + y = 7

9. 3x − 4y = 4
2x + 3y = 14

10. 2x + y = −5
3x − 2y = 3

11. 3x + 2y = 7
2x + 3y = 8

12. 2x − y = 1
x − 2y = −4

13. x + y = 8
3x − 2y = 9

14. 3x + 4y = 17
5x − 6y = 3

15. 3x + 2y = 17
2x + 3y = 18
6.3. EQUATIONS ON TWO OR MORE VARIABLES 79

2. Solve each of the following systems of equations:

6 8
1. x
+ y
=3
9 2
x
− y
=1
4 5 1
2. x
+ y
= 2
3 6 1
x
− y
= 20

15 6
3. x
+ y
=1
10 8
x
+ y
=1
1 1
4. x−1
− y−2
=0
3 4
x−1
− y−2
= 2 13
4 3
5. x+1
+ y−1
= 1.6
6 5
x+1
− y−1
= 12
4 3
6. x−1
+ y+1
=8
5 2 5
x−1
− y+1
= 12

3. Solve each of the following systems of equations:

1. x + y − z = 2
x−y+z =4
−x+y+z =6

2. 3x + y + 2z = 58
x + 2y + z = 40
2x + y + z = 38

3. 3x − 2y + 4z = 11
2x − y − 3z = −9
− x + 3y + 2z = 11

4. x + 2y − z = 10
4x + 5y − 3z = 27
2x + 3y − z = 23
80 CHAPTER 6. EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS

5. 2x
3
− 3y 4
+ 4z
5
= 41
3x 2y z
5
− 9 + 3
= 30
x y
2
+ 3
− z4 = 12

6. 3x − y − z = 10
x
2
+ y8 + z5 = 10
x
3
+ y4 + z2 = 13

4. Solve each of the following systems of equations:

1. 4x + 3y − 5z = 13
3x − 4y + z = 2
− 2x + 7y + 3z = 11

2. 3x + y − z = 0
x+y+z =2
x − y + 2z = 1

3. 3x − 2y + z = 12
6x − 3y + 5z = 55
5x + y − 3z = 13

4. 3x − y + 2z = 30
3x + 4y + z = 60
5x − 8y − 3z = −26

5. Solve each of the following systems of equations:

1. 2x + 3y − 4z = −5
x − 7y + 11z = 9
5x − y + 3z = 7

2. 2x + 4y + 2z = 80
2x + y + z = 38
x + 2y + z = 40
6.3. EQUATIONS ON TWO OR MORE VARIABLES 81

3. 2x − 4y
3
+ 5z3
=4
6x − 4y + 5z = 10
5x
3
− y + 2z
3
= 38

4. 6x + 8y − 9z = 6
x + 4y
3
− 3z
2
=1
8y
2x + 3 − 3z = 2