Introduction: Solve Single- and Multi-Step Inequalities
What you'll learn to do: solve single-step and multi-step inequalities
Sometimes there is a range of possible values to describe a situation. When you see a sign that says “Speed Limit [latex]25[/latex],” you know that it doesn’t mean that you have to drive exactly at a speed of [latex]25[/latex] miles per hour (mph). This sign means that you are not supposed to go faster than [latex]25[/latex] mph, but there are many legal speeds you could drive, such as [latex]22[/latex] mph, [latex]24.5[/latex] mph or [latex]19[/latex] mph. In a situation like this, which has more than one acceptable value, inequalities are used to represent the situation rather than equations. Solving multi-step inequalities is very similar to solving equations—what you do to one side you need to do to the other side in order to maintain the “balance” of the inequality. The Properties of Inequality can help you understand how to add, subtract, multiply, or divide within an inequality. The specific things you'll learn in this section include:- Use appropriate conventions for describing solutions to inequalities
- Solve one-step inequalities
- Solve multi-step inequalities
Learning Activities
- Read: Describe Solutions to Inequalities
- Self-Check: Describe Solutions to Inequalities
- Read: Solve Inequalities
- Self-Check: Solve Inequalities
Licenses & Attributions
CC licensed content, Original
- Revision and Adaptation. Provided by: Lumen Learning License: CC BY: Attribution.
CC licensed content, Shared previously
- Unit 10: Solving Equations and Inequalities, from Developmental Math: An Open Program. Provided by: Monterey Institute of Technology and Education Located at: https://www.nroc.org/. License: CC BY: Attribution.
