Transcript Document
Year 9 Inequalities
Dr J Frost ([email protected])
Objectives: Solving linear inequalities, combining inequalities and
representing solutions on number lines.
Last modified: 23rd March 2015
Writing inequalities and drawing number lines
You need to be able to sketch equalities and strict inequalities on a number line.
This is known as a
βstrictβ inequality.
x>3
Means: x is (strictly) greater
? than 3.
0
1
2
3
4
x < -1
Means: x is (strictly) less?than -1.
5
-3
-2
-1
?
4
5
?
2
xβ€5
Means: x is greater than?or equal to 4.
3
1
?
xβ₯4
2
0
6
7
Means: x is less than or ?
equal to 4.
2
3
4
5
?
6
7
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?
π>π
Can we add
or subtract to
both sides?
πβπ>π
Click to
οΌ Deal
Click to ο»
No Deal
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?
ππ > π
π>π
Click to
οΌ Deal
Can we divide
both sides by
a positive
number?
Click to ο»
No Deal
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?
π<π
Can we multiply
both sides by a
positive number?
ππ < π
Click to
οΌ Deal
Click to ο»
No Deal
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?
π<π
Can we multiply
both sides by a
negative number?
βπ < βπ
Click to
ο»Deal
Click toοΌ
No Deal
βFlippingβ the inequality
If we multiply or divide both sides of the inequality by a
negative number, the inequality βflipsβ!
OMG magic!
-2
2 < -4
4
Click to start
Bro-manimation
Alternative Approach
Or you could simply avoid dividing by a negative number at all by
moving the variable to the side that is positive.
βπ₯ < 3
? π₯
β3 <
π₯ > ?β3
1 β 3π₯ β₯ 7
1 β 7 ?β₯ 3π₯
β6 β₯ ?3π₯
β2 β₯ ?π₯
?
π₯ β€ β2
Quickfire Examples
2π₯ < 4
Solve
π₯ <? 2
βπ₯ > β3
Solve
π₯ <? 3
4π₯ β₯ 12
Solve
π₯ β₯? 3
β4π₯ > 4
π₯
β β€1
2
Solve
π₯ <?β1
Solve
π₯ β₯?β2
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?
1
<2
π₯
Can we multiply
both sides by a
variable?
1 < 2π₯
Click to
ο»Deal
Click toοΌ
No Deal
The problem is, we donβt know if the variable
has a positive or negative value, so negative
solutions would flip it and positive ones
wouldnβt. You wonβt have to solve questions
like this until Further Maths A Level!
More Examples
3π₯ β 4 < 20
Hint: Do the addition/subtraction before you do the
multiplication/division.
Solve
π₯<
? 8
4π₯ + 7 > 35
Solve
π₯ >? 7
π₯
5 + β₯ β2
2
Solve
π₯ β₯ ?β14
7 β 3π₯ > 4
Solve
π₯
6β β€1
3
Solve
π₯ <? 1
π₯ β₯? 15
Dealing with multiple Hint:
inequalities
Do the addition/subtraction before you do the
multiplication/division.
8 < 5x
5x
-- 22 β€ 23
and
2 < x and x β€ 5
π<πβ€π
Click to start
bromanimation
More Examples
π < ππ + π < π
βπ < βπ < π
Hint: Do the addition/subtraction before you do the
multiplication/division.
Solve
Solve
βπ < ?π < π
βπ < ?π < π
Test Your Understanding
ππ < ππ β π < ππ
π < π β ππ < π
Solve
π < π? < π
Solve
βπ < ?π < π
Exercise 1
Solve the following inequalities, and
illustrate each on a number line:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
N1
2π₯ β 1 > 5
π >?π
β2π₯ < 4
π >?π
5π₯ β 2 β€ 3π₯ + 4
π β€?π
N2
π₯
+1β₯6
π β₯?ππ
4
π¦
β1β€7
π β€?ππ
6
1βπ¦
π
β€π¦
π β₯?
2
π
1 β 4π₯ > 5
π <?βπ
5 β€ 2π₯ β 1 < 9
π β€ ?π < π
5 β€ 1 β 2π₯ < 9
β π < ?π β€ βπ
10 + π₯ < 4π₯ + 1 < 33 π < π? < π
1 β 3π₯ < 2 β 2π₯ < 3 β π₯ π >?βπ
Sketch the graphs for
1
π¦ = π₯ and π¦ = 1.
1
Hence solve π₯ > 1
0<x<1
?
You can get around the problem
of multiplying/dividing both sides
by an expression involving a
variable, by separately
considering when itβs positive,
and when itβs negative, and
putting this together.
Hence solve:
3
>4
π₯+2
If we assume π + π is positive, then π >
π
β π and solving gives π < β . Thus βπ <
π
π
π < β as we had to assume π > βπ. If
π
?
π
π < βπ then this solves to π > β which
π
is a contradiction.
Thus βπ < π < β
π
π
Combining inequalities
Itβs absolutely crucial that you distinguish between the words βandβ and βorβ when
constraining the values of a variable.
AND
How would we express
βx is greater than or equal
to 2, and less than 4β?
? x<4
x β₯ 2 and
x β₯ 2,?x < 4
2 β€ x? < 4
This last one emphasises the fact
that x is between 2 and 4.
OR
How would we express
βx is less than -1, or
greater than 3β?
? x>3
x < -1 or
This is the only way you would
write this β you must use the
word βorβ.
Combining inequalities
Itβs absolutely crucial that you distinguish between the words βandβ and βorβ when
constraining the values of a variable.
2β€x<4
0
1
2
3
?
x < -1 or x > 4
4
5
-1
0
1
2
?
3
4
Combining inequalities
Itβs absolutely crucial that you distinguish between the words βandβ and βorβ when
constraining the values of a variable.
To illustrate the difference, what happens when we switch them?
or
and
x β₯ 2 and x < 4
0
1
2
3
?
4
x < -1 or x > 4
5
-1
0
1
2
?
3
4
I will shoot you if I see any of theseβ¦
4>π₯<8
This is technically equivalent to:
x<4
?
4<π₯>7
This is technically equivalent to:
x>7
?
7>π₯>4
The least offensive of the three,
but should be written:
4<x<7
?
Combining Inequalities
In general, we can combine inequalities either by common sense, or using number lines...
2
5
Where are you on
both lines?
4
Combined
?
2
2<π₯<5
π>π
5
4
π₯<4
Combined
?π < π < π
Test Your Understanding
?
1st
2nd
-1
condition
condition
Combined
-3
?
3
?
?
5
Exercise 2
By sketching the number lines or otherwise,
combine the following inequalities.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?