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How to Solve linear inequalities

Mar 13, 2010 02:10 AM
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In this video you can learn how to solve linear inequalities. Understand the basics of inequalities and linear equations. In an inequality, we say that that one number is greater than (>) another number or less than (<) another. On occasion we say that something is greater than or equal to, or less than or equal to. In a basic linear equation, we solve for the variable of x by subtracting the value from the opposite side or the = sign. Start by writing your equation on a sheet of paper. It will look something like this:x + 2 > 6In this equation we will be solving for x. We want to know what x is greater than (>). We know this because the open side of the inequality is facing the number that will be the greatest of the two. Pretend that the inequality sign--in this case the > sign--is an = sign for the time being. When you do this, the original equation looks just like a traditional linear equation. The new form of the equation would be written as:x + 2 = 6. Solve for x by subtracting 2 from both sides of the = sign. It looks like this:x + 2 - 2 = 6 - 2Completing this equation, we find that the 2s on the left side cancel each other out, and the subtraction of 2 from the 6 on the right side of give us 4:x = 4. Convert it back into an inequality. In Step 3 we exchanged the > for the = sign to make the equation look like a traditional linear equation, but now it must be turned back into an inequality. Do this by dropping the = and replacing it with the >. From this we now know that x does not equal for but that:x > 4 (x is greater than 4)For this equation, x can be any number that is larger than 4, so x could be 5, 6, 7 and so on.

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