10.2: Solving and Graphing Inequalities, and Writing Answers in Interval Notation
To solve and graph inequalities:
- Solve the inequality using the Properties of Inequalities from the previous section.
- Graph the solution set on a number line.
- Write the solution set in interval notation.
Solve the inequality, graph the solution set on a number line and show the solution set in interval notation:
- \(−1 ≤ 2x − 5 < 7\)
- \(x^2 + 7x + 10 < 0\)
- \(−6 < x − 2 < 4\)
Solution
- \(\begin{array} &&−1 ≤ 2x − 5 < 7 &\text{Example problem} \\ &−1 + 5 ≤ 2x − 5 + 5 < 7 + 5 &\text{The goal is to isolate the variable \(x\), so start by adding \(5\) to all three regions in the inequality.} \\ &4 ≤ 2x < 12 &\text{Simplify.} \\ &\dfrac{4}{2} ≤ 2x^2 < \dfrac{4}{2} &\text{Divide all by \(2\) to isolate the variable \(x\).} \\ &2 ≤ x < 6 &\text{Final answer written in inequality/solution set form.} \\ &[2, 6) &\text{Final answer written in interval notation (see section on Interval Notation for more details)} \end{array} \)
- \(\begin{array} &&x^2 + 7x + 10 < 0 &\text{Example problem} \\ &(x + 5)(x + 2) < 0 &\text{Factor the polynomial.} \\ &(x + 5)(x + 2) < 0 &\text{The product must be less than \(0\), which means that if \((x + 5) > 0\), then \((x + 2) < 0\). Similarly, if \((x + 5) < 0\), then \((x + 2) > 0\).} \\ &(x + 5) > 0 ∪ (x + 2) < 0 &\text{Find the intersection of each of these inequalities.} \\ &x > −5 ∪ x < −2 &\text{Find the intersection of each of these inequalities.} \end{array}\)
\(\begin{array} &&\;\;\;−5 < x < −2 \;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;&\text{Final answer written in inequality/solution set form.} \\ &\;\;\;(−5, −2) \;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;\;&\text{Final answer written in interval notation (see section on Interval Notation for more details).} \end{array}\)
- \(\begin{array}&&−6 < x − 2 ≤ 4 &\text{Example problem} \\ &−6 + 2 < x − 2 + 2 ≤ 4 + 2 &\text{The goal is to isolate the variable \(x\), so start by adding \(2\) to all three regions in the inequality.} \\ &−4 < x ≤ 6 &\text{Final answer written in inequality/solution set form.} \\ &(−4, 6] &\text{Final answer written in interval notation (see section on Interval Notation for more details).} \end{array}\)
Solve the inequalities, graph the solution sets on a number line and show the solution sets in interval notation:
- \(0 ≤ x + 1 ≤ 4\)
- \(0 < 2(x − 1) ≤ 4\)
- \(6 < 2(x − 1) < 12\)
- \(x^2 − 6x − 16 < 0\)
- \(2x^2 − x − 15 > 0\)