1 Linear Inequalities in One Unknown

1.1 Concepts of Inequalities

Required Knowledge
• Any value that satisfies an inequality is a solution of the inequality. Generally speaking, an
inequality such as ‘x + 5  8’ has more than one solution.  ‘x = 4’, ‘x = 5’, ‘x = 6’, ...
• We can represent the solutions graphically on the number line.

Level 1
1. Represent ‘Tom’s weight (y kg) is at least 49 kg’ by an inequality.
(1 mark)
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2. Represent ‘The product of m and n is greater than or equal to r’ by an inequality.

(1 mark)
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3. Represent ‘3 times the sum of x and y is not greater than z’ by an inequality.

(1 mark)
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4. Is h = 3 a solution of the inequality 13 – 4h  1?

(2 marks)
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1 Student : Timothy
 1 Linear Inequalities in One Unknown

5. Is h = 1.5 a solution of the inequality 7h – 9 < h?

(2 marks)
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6. Represent the solutions of each of the following inequalities graphically.

3
(a) x  9.9 (b) x 
2
(2 marks)
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7. Write down the inequality in x represented by each of the following diagrams.

(a) (b)

0 6.4

(2 marks)
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Level 2
8. (a) Represent the solutions of the inequality x > −7 graphically.
(b) Write down all non-positive integers that satisfy the inequality in (a).
(3 marks)
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2 Student : Timothy
 1 Linear Inequalities in One Unknown

9. (a) Represent the solutions of the inequality x < 7.5 graphically.

(b) How many positive integers satisfy the inequality in (a)?
(2 marks)
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10. Write down all positive integers y that satisfy the inequality y + 1  7.
(2 marks)
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11. Represent the following sentences by an inequality.

Tony and Wendy have t dozens and w dozens of eggs respectively. Tony has at least
37 eggs more than Wendy.
(1 mark)
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12. Write down two inequalities in x such that both of their solutions include 4 but exclude 0.
(2 marks)
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Challenging Questions
14
13. (a) Represent the solutions of the inequality x  graphically.
3
(b) Represent the solutions of the inequality x < 9 graphically on the same number line in (a).
(c) Write down all the integers that satisfy both the inequalities in (a) and (b).
(4 marks)
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3 Student : Timothy
 1 Linear Inequalities in One Unknown

Answers

1. y  49
2. mn  r
3. 3(x + y)  z
4. Yes
5. No
6. (a)

0 9.9
(b)

7. (a) x  6.4
3
(b) x−
5
8. (a)

−7
(b) −6, −5, −4, −3, −2, −1, 0
9. (a)

7.5

(b) 7
10. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
11. 12t  12w +37
12. x  3, x  2 (or other reasonable answers)
13. (a)

(b)

0 9

(c) 5, 6, 7, 8

4 Student : Timothy