Inequalities are mathematical statements that compare two values, showing which...
Maths256 views·Updated 25 Aug 2026·2 pagesUnderstanding and Solving Inequalities
S
saskia wilson@saskiawilson_fuaw
1
of 2
Understanding Inequality Symbols
Think of inequality symbols as mathematical ways to say "bigger than" or "smaller than" - just like comparing your height to your mate's! The symbol means " is smaller than ", whilst means " is greater than ".
The symbols and are even more flexible. They mean "greater than or equal to" and "smaller than or equal to" respectively. This is brilliant when you need to include the boundary value itself.
Number lines make inequalities visual and easy to understand. When you see , imagine all numbers to the right of 4 on a number line. For , you'd include 4 itself (shown with a filled circle) plus everything to the left.
Quick Tip: Remember that means is trapped between 2 and 7, where 2 isn't included but 7 is!
2
of 2
Solving Inequalities Step by Step
Solving inequalities works almost exactly like solving regular equations - you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide both sides to isolate the variable. The process feels familiar once you get the hang of it.
For example, with , you'd subtract 4 from both sides to get . Simple as that! Most inequality problems follow this straightforward approach without any tricks.
Here's the crucial bit that catches everyone out: when you multiply or divide by a negative number, you must flip the inequality sign! So if you have and divide both sides by , the inequality becomes (notice the sign flipped from < to >).
Memory Trick: Think of negative numbers as "opposite day" - everything gets reversed, including your inequality sign!
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Maths256 views·Updated 25 Aug 2026·2 pagesUnderstanding and Solving Inequalities
S
saskia wilson@saskiawilson_fuaw
Inequalities are mathematical statements that compare two values, showing which one is larger or smaller. They're everywhere in real life - from age restrictions to speed limits - and understanding them will help you solve problems involving ranges and boundaries.
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of 2
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Understanding Inequality Symbols
Think of inequality symbols as mathematical ways to say "bigger than" or "smaller than" - just like comparing your height to your mate's! The symbol means " is smaller than ", whilst means " is greater than ".
The symbols and are even more flexible. They mean "greater than or equal to" and "smaller than or equal to" respectively. This is brilliant when you need to include the boundary value itself.
Number lines make inequalities visual and easy to understand. When you see , imagine all numbers to the right of 4 on a number line. For , you'd include 4 itself (shown with a filled circle) plus everything to the left.
Quick Tip: Remember that means is trapped between 2 and 7, where 2 isn't included but 7 is!
2
of 2Sign up to see the content. It's free!
- Access to all documents
- Improve your grades
- Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Solving Inequalities Step by Step
Solving inequalities works almost exactly like solving regular equations - you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide both sides to isolate the variable. The process feels familiar once you get the hang of it.
For example, with , you'd subtract 4 from both sides to get . Simple as that! Most inequality problems follow this straightforward approach without any tricks.
Here's the crucial bit that catches everyone out: when you multiply or divide by a negative number, you must flip the inequality sign! So if you have and divide both sides by , the inequality becomes (notice the sign flipped from < to >).
Memory Trick: Think of negative numbers as "opposite day" - everything gets reversed, including your inequality sign!
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Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
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