4) Inequalities

KS4 Mathematics
A4 Inequalities
of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Contents
A4 Inequalities
A A4.1 Representing inequalities on number lines
A A4.2 Solving linear inequalities
A A4.3 Inequalities and regions
A A4.4 Inequalities in two variables
A A4.5 Quadratic inequalities

Inequalities
An inequality is an algebraic statement involving the symbols

>, <, ≥ or ≤
For example,
x>3 means ‘x is greater than 3’.
x < –6 means ‘x is less than –6’.
x ≥ –2 means ‘x is greater than or equal to –2’.
x ≤ 10 means ‘x is less than or equal to 10’.
Sometimes two inequalities can be combined in a single
statement. For example,
If x > 3 and x ≤ 14 we can write
3 < x ≤ 14
Reversing inequalities
Inequalities can either be read from left to right or from right to

left. For example,
5 > –3
can be read as ‘5 is greater than –3’ by reading from left to
right.
It can also be read as ‘–3 is less than 5’ by reading from right
to left.
In general,
x>y is equivalent to y<x
and
x≥y is equivalent to y≤x

Representing inequalities on number lines
Suppose x > 2. There are infinitely many values that x could

have.
3
x could be equal to 3, 7.3, 54 11 , 18463.431 …
It would be impossible to write every solution down.
We can therefore represent the solution set on a number line
as follows:
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A hollow circle, , at 2 means that this number is not included

and the arrow at the end of the line means that the solution set
extends in the direction shown.

Suppose x ≤ 3. Again, there are infinitely many values that x

could have.
8
x could be equal to 3, –1.4, –94 17 , –7452.802 …
We can represent the solution set on a number line as

follows,
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A solid circle, , at 3 means that this number is included
and the arrow at the end of the line means that the solution
set extends in the direction shown.

Suppose –1 ≤ x < 4. Although x is between two values, there

are still infinitely many values that x could have.
16
x could be equal to 2, –0.7, –3 17 , 1.648953 …
We can represent the solution set on a number line as

follows:
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A solid circle, , is used at –1 because this value is included
and a hollow circle, , is used at 4 because this value is not
included. The line represents all the values in between.

Writing inequalities from number lines


Integer solutions
In the examples that we have looked at so far we have

assumed that the value of x can be any real number.
Sometimes we are told that x can only be an integer, that is a

positive or negative whole number.
For example,
–3 < x ≤ 5
List the integer values that satisfy this inequality.
The integer values that satisfy this inequality are
–2, –1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
0 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Integer solutions
Write down an inequality that is obeyed by the following

set of integers:
–4, –3, –2, –1, 0, 1.
There are four possible inequalities that give this solution set,
–5 < x < 2
–4 ≤ x < 2
–5 < x ≤ 1
–4 ≤ x ≤ 1
Remember that when we use < and > the values at either end
are not included in the solution set.

Contents
A4 Inequalities

Solving linear inequalities
Look at the following inequality,

x+3≥7
What values of x would make this inequality true?
Any value of x greater or equal to 4 would solve this inequality.

We could have solved this inequality as follows,
x+3≥7
subtract 3 from both sides: x + 3 – 3 ≥ 7 – 3
x≥4
The solution has one letter on one side of the inequality
sign and a number on the other.

Solving linear inequalities
Like an equation, we can solve an inequality by adding or

subtracting the same value to both sides of the inequality sign.
We can also multiply or divide both sides of the inequality by
a positive value. For example,
Solve 4x – 7 > 11 – 2x
add 7 to both sides: 4x > 18 – 2x

add 2x to both sides: 6x > 18
divide both sides by 6: x>3
How could we check this solution?

Checking solutions
To verify that x>3

is the solution to 4x – 7 > 11 – 2x
substitute a value just above 3 into the inequality and then
substitute a value just below 3.
If we substitute x = 4 into the inequality we have
4 × 4 – 7 > 11 – 2 × 4
16 – 7 > 11 – 8
9>3 This is true.
If we substitute x = 2 into the inequality we have,
4 × 2 – 7 > 11 – 2 × 2
8 – 7 > 11 – 4
1>7 This is not true.
Multiplying or dividing by negatives
Although most inequalities can be solved like equations we

have to take great care when multiplying or dividing both sides
of an inequality by a negative value.
The following simple inequality is true,
–3 < 5
Look what happen if we multiply both sides by –1,
–3 × –1 < 5 × –1
3 < –5
3 is not less than –5. To keep the inequality true we have to
reverse the inequality sign.
3 > –5
Multiplying or dividing by negatives
Remember, when both sides of an inequality are multiplied or

divided by a negative number the inequality is reversed.
For example, 4 – 3x ≤ 10
subtract 4 from both sides: – 3x ≤ 6
divide both side by –3: x ≥ –2 The inequality sign is reversed.
We could also solve this type of inequality by collecting x terms
on the right and reversing the inequality sign at the end.
4 – 3x ≤ 10
add 3x to both sides: 4 ≤ 10 + 3x
subtract 10 from both sides: –6 ≤ 3x
divide both sides by 3: –2 ≤ x
x ≥ –2
Solving combined linear inequalities
The two inequalities 4x + 3 ≥ 5 and 4x + 3 < 15 can be written

as a single combined inequality.
5 ≤ 4x + 3 < 15
We can solve this inequality as follows:
subtract 3 from each part: 2 ≤ 4x < 12
divide each part by 4: 0.5 ≤ x < 3
We can illustrate this solution on a number line as
–1 –0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

Solving combined linear inequalities
Some combined inequalities contain variables in more than

one part. For example,
x – 2 ≤ 3x + 2 ≤ 2x + 7
Treat this as two separate inequalities,
x – 2 ≤ 3x + 2 and 3x + 2 ≤ 2x + 7
– 2 ≤ 2x + 2 x+2≤7
– 4 ≤ 2x x≤5
–2≤x
We can write the complete solution as –2 ≤ x ≤ 5 and
illustrate it on a number line as:
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Overlapping solutions
Solve the following inequality and illustrate the solution on a

number line.
2x – 1 ≤ x + 2 < 7
Treating as two separate inequalities,
2x – 1 ≤ x + 2 and x+2<7
x–1≤2 x<5
x≤3
If x < 5 then it is also ≤ 3. The whole solution set is therefore
given by x ≤ 3. This is can be seen on the number line:
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Solutions in two parts
Solve the following inequality and illustrate the solution on a

number line:
4x + 5 < 3x + 5 ≤ 4x + 3
Treating as two separate inequalities,
4x + 5 < 3x + 5 and 3x + 5 ≤ 4x + 3
4x < 3x 5≤x+3
x<0 2≤x
x≥2
We cannot write these solutions as a single combined
inequality. The solution has two parts.
–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Contents
A4 Inequalities

Vertical regions
Inequalities can be represented by regions on a graph.

A region is an area where all the points obey a given rule.
Suppose we want to find the region where
x>2
This means that we want to show the area of a graph where
the x-coordinate of every point is greater than 2.
Give the coordinates of three points

that would satisfy this condition.
For example (4, 1), (6, 5), and (3, –2)

Vertical regions
We can represent all the points where the x-coordinate is

equal to 2 with the line x = 2.
y The region where x > 2

5 does not include points
4
where x = 2 and so we
x<2 3 x>2
2 draw this as a dotted line.
1 x
The region to the right of
–6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
–1 the line x = 2 contains
–2 every point where x > 2.
–3
–4 The region to the left of
–5
the line x = 2 contains
every point where x < 2.

Vertical regions 1

Vertical regions 2

Horizontal regions
Suppose we want to find the region where

y≤3
This means that we want to show the area of a graph where
the y-coordinate of every point is less than or equal to 3.
Give the coordinates of three points

that would satisfy this condition.
For example, (5, 1), (–3, –4), and (0, 2)
We can represent all the points where the y-coordinate is

equal to 3 with the line y = 3.

Horizontal regions
The region where y ≤ 3 includes points where y = 3 and so we

draw y = 3 as a solid line.
y
5 The region below the line
y≥3 4 y = 3 contains every point
3
where y ≤ 3.
2
1 x
–6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
–1 The region above the line
–2 y = 3 contains every point
y ≤ 3 –3 where y ≥ 3.
–4
–5

Horizontal regions 1

Horizontal regions 2

Horizontal and vertical regions combined
When several regions are shown on the same graph it is usual

to shade out the unwanted regions.
This is so that the required area where the regions overlap
can easily be identified.
y For example, to show the
5 region where –4 < x < –1
4
3
and –1 < y ≤ 3,
2 1) Shade out the regions
1 x x < –4 and x > –1.
–6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
–1 2) Shade out the regions
–2 y < –1 and y ≥ 3.
–3
–4 The unshaded region
–5 satisfies both –4 < x < –1
and –1 < y ≤ 3.
Horizontal and vertical regions combined

Contents
A4 Inequalities

Inequalities in two variables
Linear inequalities can be given in two variables x and y.

For example,
x+y<3
The solution set to this inequality is made up of pair of values.
For example,
x = 1 and y = 1
x=4 and y = –5
x = –1 and y=0
These solutions are usually written as coordinate pairs as

(1, 1), (4, –5) and (–1, 0).
The whole solution set can be represented using a graph.

We can represent all the points where the x-coordinate and

the y-coordinate add up to 3 with the line x + y = 3.
y The region where x + y < 3
5 does not include points
4
x+y>3 where x + y = 3 and so we
3
2 draw this as a dotted line.
1 x
The region below the line
–6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
–1 x + y = 3 contains every
–2 point where x + y < 3.
x + y < 3 –3
–4 The region above the line
–5
x + y = 3 contains every
point where x + y > 3.

When a line is sloping it may not always be obvious which

side of the line gives the required region.
We can check this by choosing a point (not on the line) and

substituting the x- and y-values of the point into the
inequality representing the required region.
If the point satisfies the inequality then it is in the region. If it

does not satisfy the inequality it is not in the region.
The easiest point to substitute is usually the point at the

origin, that is the point (0, 0).

For example,
Is the point (0, 0) in the region 4y – 3x > 2?
Substituting x = 0 and y = 0 into 4y – 3x > 2 gives,

4×0–3×0>2
0>2
0 is not greater than 2 and so the point (0, 0) does not lie in
the required region.
The region representing 4y – 3x > 2 is therefore the region
that does not contain the point at the origin.


Combining inequalities in two variables 1

Combining inequalities in two variables 2

Real-life problems
A ferry cannot hold more than 30 tonnes. If it holds x

cars weighing 1 tonne each and y lorries weighing 3
tonnes each write down an inequality in x and y.
x + 3y ≤ 30
If 20 cars were already on board how

many more lorries could the ferry carry?
Substituting into x + 3y < 30 and solving for y,

20 + 3y ≤ 30
subtract 20 from both sides: 3y ≤ 10
divide both sides by 3: y ≤ 3.3 (to 1 d.p.)
The ferry can hold 3 more lorries.
Real-life problems
Show the possible numbers of cars and lorries that

the ferry can carry on a graph.
Start by drawing the x-axis between 0 and 30 and y-axis

between 0 and 10.
Next draw the line x + 3y = 30
y
10
x + 3y = 30
x
0 30
The points on the graph represent the solution set.
Contents
A4 Inequalities
A A4.4 Quadratic Inequalities

Quadratic inequalities
When inequalities contain terms in x2 there are usually two

solutions. For example,
x2 < 4
Remember, x × x = x2 and –x × –x = x2
So we can write
(x)2 < 4 and (–x)2 < 4
take the square root: x<2 –x < 2
× –1 and reverse: x > –2
These solutions can be combined to give –2 < x < 2.

Suppose we have
x2 > 4
We can write
(x)2 > 4 and (–x)2 > 4
take the square root: x>2 –x > 2
× –1 and reverse: x < –2
This solution is in two separate parts:
–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5

In more difficult problems there can be terms in both x2 and x.

x2 + x – 6 ≥ 0
factorize: (x + 3)(x – 2) ≥ 0
The inequality is equal to 0 when:

x+3=0 or x–2=0
x = –3 x=2
These values give the end points of the solution set:
–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5

To find the solution set substitute a value from each of the

following three regions
region 1 region 2 region 3
–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5
into the original inequality, x2 + x – 6 ≥ 0.
When x = –4, –42 + –4 – 6 ≥ 0
16 – 4 – 6 ≥ 0
6≥0
This is true and so values in region 1 satisfy the inequality.


–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5
into the original inequality, x2 + x – 6 ≥ 0.
When x = 0, 02 + 0 – 6 ≥ 0
–6 ≥ 0
This is not true and so values in region 2 do not satisfy the
inequality.


–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5
into the original inequality, x2 + x + 6 ≥ 0.
When x = 3, 32 + 3 + 6 ≥ 0
9+3+6≥0
18 ≥ 0
This is true and so values in region 3 satisfy the inequality.

We have shown that values in region 1 and region 3 satisfy the

inequality x2 + x + 6 ≥ 0.
–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5
We can shown the complete solution set as follows:
–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 4 5

4) Inequalities

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

4) Inequalities

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

4) Inequalities

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

KS4 Mathematics

of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

A A4.1 Representing inequalities on number lines

A A4.2 Solving linear inequalities

A A4.3 Inequalities and regions

A A4.4 Inequalities in two variables

A A4.5 Quadratic inequalities

of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

An inequality is an algebraic statement involving the symbols

Inequalities can either be read from left to right or from right to

of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Suppose x > 2. There are infinitely many values that x could

A hollow circle, , at 2 means that this number is not included

of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Suppose x ≤ 3. Again, there are infinitely many values that x

We can represent the solution set on a number line as

of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Suppose –1 ≤ x < 4. Although x is between two values, there

We can represent the solution set on a number line as

of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

In the examples that we have looked at so far we have

Sometimes we are told that x can only be an integer, that is a

The integer values that satisfy this inequality are

0 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Write down an inequality that is obeyed by the following

1 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

A A4.1 Representing inequalities on number lines

A A4.2 Solving linear inequalities

A A4.3 Inequalities and regions

A A4.4 Inequalities in two variables

A A4.5 Quadratic inequalities

2 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Look at the following inequality,

What values of x would make this inequality true?

Any value of x greater or equal to 4 would solve this inequality.

3 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Like an equation, we can solve an inequality by adding or

add 7 to both sides: 4x > 18 – 2x

How could we check this solution?

4 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

To verify that x>3

Although most inequalities can be solved like equations we

Remember, when both sides of an inequality are multiplied or

The two inequalities 4x + 3 ≥ 5 and 4x + 3 < 15 can be written

–1 –0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

8 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Some combined inequalities contain variables in more than

9 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Solve the following inequality and illustrate the solution on a

0 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

Solve the following inequality and illustrate the solution on a

1 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005

A A4.1 Representing inequalities on number lines

A A4.2 Solving linear inequalities

A A4.3 Inequalities and regions

A A4.4 Inequalities in two variables

A A4.5 Quadratic inequalities

2 of 50 © Boardworks Ltd 2005