INEQUALITIES

Definition 1.1 Inequalities

The mathematical statement showing that one quantity is not of equal
value to another quantity is called an inequality. An inequality maybe any of
the following:
a is not equal to b a b
a is less than b a < b
a is greater than b a > b
a is less than or equal to b a b
a is greater than or equal to b a b
a is much less than b a << b
a is much greater than b a >> b

MUCH GREATER OR MUCH LESSER THAN

An additional use of the notation is to show that one quantity is much
greater than or much lesser than another (a >> b or a << b respectively)
normally by several orders of magnitude.
An order of magnitude is the class of scale or magnitude or size of any
amount, where each class contains values of a fixed ratio to the class
preceding it.
The ratio most commonly used is 10. The number ten thousandths in
numeric form is 0.0001 or 10-4; the exponent -4 is the order of magnitude.
The earth's mass is of the order of magnitude of 1022 tons; that of the sun
is 1027 tons, thus, the masses of earth and the sun differ by five orders of
magnitude.
Hence, we can say that earths mass is much lesser than the suns mass.

MUCH GREATER OR MUCH LESSER THAN

THEOREM 1.1
If a and b belongs to real number, then
a > 0 means that a is a positive number
a < 0 means that a is a negative number
a < b if and only if b a is positive
a > b if and only if b a is negative

GRAPHS OF INEQUALITIES
Figure 1
 Figure 2

- Figure 1(a) shows the graphic representation of x less than a, in

symbol, x < a, which is a left direction arrow and Figure 2(b) is the
graphic representation of x greater than a (x > a) which is the
right direction arrow.

GRAPHS OF INEQUALITIES
Figure 1 Figure 2

- Notice that the starting points of these arrows are not shaded meaning
a is not included.
- The shaded starting point as in Figure 1.4 means inclusion of a that
is, x is less than or equal to a (x a) or x is greater than or
equal to a (x a).

Figure 3 Figure 4
 - Figure 3 shows the graphic representation of a range of numbers between
a and b, denoted as a < x < b, read as x is greater than a but less
than b or x is between a and b.
- Notice that the small circles at the ends of segment represented by the
points a and b are not shaded which means that a and b are not included.
The line segment whose ends are shaded as shown in Figure 4 shows that
x is between a and b inclusive, denoted as a x b.

BELOW ARE SOME TYPES OF INEQUALITIES

THAT WE WILL DISCUSS

The inequalities (1) to (4) are polynomial inequalities, (5) and (6) are
rational inequalities, (7) is a polynomial inequality that involves absolute
value, (8) is a linear inequality in two variables.

The domain of a variable of an inequality is a set of values the

variable can assume for which the members of the inequality are defined. The
domain of the variable of a polynomial inequality is the set of real numbers.
The domain of the variable of the rational inequality

where a, b, c, d R is the set of real numbers except a and b, in

symbol, D = { x | x R\ a, b}.

Thus, the domain of

 The solutions of an inequality are all the values of the variable that
make the inequality a true statement and the set of all the solutions is
called the solution set.
If every value in the solution set is also in the domain, that is, the
inequality is true for all values of the variable present in the inequality,
and then the inequality is absolute.

Conditional inequalities are those which are true for some, but not all,
values of the variable.
Examples are

Order Axioms: For any a, b and c belonging to real numbers,

Closure: If a > 0 and b > 0 then a + b > 0 and ab > 0;
Trichotomy: If a b, then a > b or a < b;
Transitive: If a > b and b > c then a > c;
Addition Property: When a number is added to an inequality, an equivalent
inequality is produced.
If a < b, then a + c < b + c and a c < b c
If a > b, then a + c > b + c and a c > b c

Order Axioms: For any a, b and c belonging to real numbers,

 Multiplication Property: If a positive number is multiplied to an
inequality, an equivalent inequality is produced. But if a negative number is
multiplied to an inequality, an inequality of opposite sense is produced.
If a > b and c > 0, then ac > bc
If a > b and c < 0, then ac < bc

The solutions of inequalities can be described by a set builder notation,

graphs or by interval notation.

A. Set Builder Notation

Since the solution of an inequality can assume several values, it would be
proper to describe the solutions in a set. The following table shows the
corresponding set builder notation of an inequality. Inequality Set Builder
Notation

B. Graphs of Inequalities in One Variable

A number line is used to represent inequalities in one variable. In the line
graph overwrite a thicker arrow or ray going to the direction that represents
the inequality. The other end of the ray is a small circle for less than
and greater than inequalities, blacken small circle for the less than or
equal to and greater than or equal to inequalities.

C. Interval notation is one way of describing inequalities. The symbol [ ]

indicates a closed interval. This means inclusion of the limits in the
interval. The symbol ( ) indicates an open interval. This means exclusion of
the limits in the interval. The symbol means infinity or no limit.

The table shows the inequality and its corresponding graph and interval
notation.
Solve the following

In mathematics, the words and and or are commonly used to form

compound statements. In set notation,
A B, which is the intersection of A and B is a compound statement
the set of elements that are both in A and B
A B, which is the union of A and B is a compound statement the set
of elements in A or in B.
In inequalities, the set symbols and are also used to form compound
statements. These compound statements are called conjunctions and
disjunctions respectively.

THE CONJUNCTION & DISJUNCTION

A statement using the word and is called a conjunction and a statement
using the word or is called a disjunction. The word and in a conjunction
means the intersection of two or more set values, and the word or in the
disjunction means the union of two or more set values.
THE CONJUNCTION
The table below shows the interval notations and graphs of compact
inequalities.

EXAMPLE 2
Simplify the following inequalities. Show each graph and write its interval
notation.

THE DISJUNCTION
It was defined earlier that a disjunction is a compound statement using the
word or. Consider the statement x < a or x > a,
THE DISJUNCTION
The table below shows the interval notations and graphs of compact
inequalities.

EXAMPLE 3
Simplify the following inequalities. Show each graph and write its interval
notation.

PROBLEMS FOR DISCUSSION

The nonlinear inequalities discussed here are n-degree polynomials and the
rational inequalities. The following are the steps to solve such
inequalities.
Write an equivalent inequality having all terms on the left side and the
zero term on the right side.
P(x) < 0 or P(x) > 0 where P(x) is a polynomial or rational expression.
Express P(x) to linear factored form

Solve the equivalent equation of the inequality formed in (2). The roots
are called the critical numbers of the inequality which are the possible
limits of the interval.
Plot the critical numbers to a number line then identify the intervals
formed by these numbers.
Test some arbitrary numbers to determine the sign of each factor of the
inequality corresponding to the interval. Make a summary of the test by using
the table of signs and then identify which among the intervals satisfy the
inequality.
The intervals that satisfy the inequality is the solution of the
inequality
EXAMPLE 4
Solve the following inequalities.

Definition: The absolute value of a, written as |a| is defined as

Similarly, |x| = a is equivalent to x = a if x a or x = a if x < a
For an inequality involving absolute value, consider the following
properties.
|x |< a is equivalent to x < a and x > a or a < x < a
| x |> a is equivalent to x > a or x < a
The equation |x|= a means that x = a and x = a. In the line graph, |x|= a
is actually located a units from the origin or the distance between a to a.
Thus, the inequality |x| < a is the value of x between a and a only. The
value of x cannot exceed a or must not be less than a. Since the resulting
inequalities are x < a and x > a.

The inequality |x| > a means that x > a or x > a which is the same as
x < a
The word or is used since from the resulting inequalities, the values of x do
not intersect, that is, value between a and a are not included. Thus, the
solutions are all values greater than a or less than a.

For equations involving absolute value, |ax + b| = c is equivalent to ax +

b = c
if ax + b c or ax + b = c if ax + b < c
For an inequality involving absolute value, consider the following
properties.
| ax + b |< c is equivalent to ax + b < c and ax + b > c or c < ax + b
< c
| ax + b |> c is equivalent to ax + b > c or ax + b < c
EXAMPLE 6
Simplify the following inequalities. Show each graph and write its interval
notation.

SOLUTION:
1) |2x 3| < 2
2x 3 < 2 and 2x 3 > 2
2x < 2 + 3 and 2x > 2 + 3
2x < 5 and 2x > 1
x < 5/2 and x >
Graph:
Interval Notation: (1/2, 5/2)

SOLUTION:
An inequality in two variables has infinite solutions. The set of
solutions is a half-plane, which can be determined by graphical method.
Steps in Graphing Linear Inequalities in Two Variables
1. Graph the corresponding linear equation of the inequality. In Chapter 8,
it was mentioned that the intercept method is the easiest way of graphing
linear equation. This method is the one utilized in this section. In graphing,
use the broken line if the inequality involves < or > symbol. Use the solid
line if the inequality involves or symbol.

Steps in Graphing Linear Inequalities in Two Variables

2. Determine the half plane of the inequality by making a point test.
a) Take any point on the plane, not on the line, and then substitute the
coordinates of this point to the inequality. For a simpler solution, use point
(0, 0). Other points may be used.

b) If the coordinates of the point satisfy the inequality, then shade

this region where the point lies, otherwise, shade the opposite region.
The shaded region, which is a half-plane, is the solution of the inequality.

EXAMPLE: [Graph the given inequalities.]

1) x + y < 5

a. The corresponding equation is x + y = 5

By intercept method,
let x = 0, then y = 5 (0, 5)
let y = 0, then x = 5 (5, 0)
b. Test point (0, 0) to determine the half plane of the inequality.
At (0,0), the inequality is true (0 < 5). Thus, the solution is the region
below the line x + y = 5 where the point (0, 0) lies. Plot these points then
connect them by a broken line.