# inequalities review?

• Jan 15th 2010, 06:37 PM
Barthayn
inequalities review?
Hi, how do you solve for inequalities. I have an exam review for math coming up and I need to know how to solve them. What are the general steps taken to solve them? In grade 11 & 12 I did next to nothing with the work on this topic.

• Jan 15th 2010, 07:23 PM
Prove It
Quote:

Originally Posted by Barthayn
Hi, how do you solve for inequalities. I have an exam review for math coming up and I need to know how to solve them. What are the general steps taken to solve them? In grade 11 & 12 I did next to nothing with the work on this topic.

You solve inequalities exactly the same way you would solve equalities.

The only difference is that if you multiply or divide by a negative number, then the sign of your inequality changes direction (so < becomes > and vice versa).

Also, if you are undoing any squares, you need to make use of the fact that $\sqrt{x^2} = |x|$

and

$|x| < y$ means the same as $-y < x < y$

and

$|x| > y$ means the same as $x < -y$ or $x > y$.