Inequalities

1. Polynomial inequalities
Steps to solve:
i) Always bring all the terms to left hand side leaving the right hand side of
the equation to be zero.
ii) Factorize the left hand side if possible, if not possible, always complete the
square.
And then use sign test method or you can always sketch the graph using your
graphic calculator.

Ok so lets try solving

4 x +5

First, make right hand side zero:

4 x +5+ x 22 x2<0

x +2 x+2

x 2+2 x3< 0 Factorize if possible,

(x+ 3)(x 1)<0
Use sign test / sketch the graph
Sign test:
Step 1:
Determine the critical values first. Critical values are x values in which graph cuts
the x-axis which means x-intercept. So let
So critical values are x=1

and

(x+ 3)(x 1)=0

x=3

Step 2:
Draw the number line with the critical values
_
+
-3
1
Next, we find the values of y whether it is positive of negative depending on the
corresponding region of x values.
For example, for x>1, we can substitute any values of x that is greater than 1,
+

say 2 into the equation

f (x)=( x+ 3)( x 1).

We get f(2) = 5. And it is a positive value, so we label with a `+ for x>1

Similarly, for

3< x<1 , we can sub in any values between -3 and 1, say 0, and

we get f(0) = -3, thus we label `

And do the same for

x<3 , say f(-4) = 5. So we label `+

The question requires ( x+ 3)(x 1)<0 , means we need to find the values of x for
which the function is less than zero (negative).

From the number line, we can see that the values of f(x) are negative between

x=3

and

x=1 .

3< x<1 .

Thus the solution is

Sketch a graph

From the question, we want the

values of

x
for which the graph is negative,

below x-axis.

-3

From the graph, we can see f( x )

is below the

2. Inequalities with Rational Functions

the x-axis for - 3< x <1 .

f (x)
g(x)

Steps to solve:
i) Bring all terms to LHS and express them in common
denominator
ii) Simplify and factorize as simple as possible
iii) Complete square for any quadratic equations which cannot be
factorized
iv) Find all critical values and place them on a number line and
do the sign test
v) Remember that the solution should exclude values that make
the denominator
zero (because when the denominator zero, the
equation is undefined since you
cannot divide something by zero)
For example, lets solve
Find the values of

for which

x1
3
x +4

x1
3 0
x +4

Bring all terms to LHS to make RHS zero:

Make common denominator:

x1 3 ( x+ 4 )

0
x +4
x+ 4

2 x13
0
x+ 4

Critical values are

x=13/2x=4 ,

-13/2

Solving

-4

2 x13
0 , means we want the positive region.
x+ 4

So, the solution is

13 /2 x<4

3) Inequalities with Quadratic Functions having a negative discriminant

(i.e b2 4ac <0)
To solve these inequalities, we need to complete the square!
Example, given that x is real, prove that x2 2x + 5 > 0. Hence, solve

x
1
>
x5 x1

Since we cant factorize x2 2x + 5, we need to complete the square

2

x 2 x +5

(Means

x 2 (2)(1) x+1+ 4

(x1)2+ 4> 0 . (SHOWN)

Take note that we should NOT write

( x1)2+ 4

-4.

x+ 40) for
Since than
is the
is always positive (larger
anydenominator,
real values ofwe xshould
)
exclude solution that makes the denominator
to be zero as it will make the equations

To solve the 2nd part,

Bring all the terms to LHS,

Make common denominator,

Simplify,

x
1

>0
x5 x1

x ( x1 )(x5)
>0
( x 5)( x 1)
x 22 x+ 5
( x5)(x1)

>0

Using earlier result that

2

x 2 x +5

x 2 2 x +5=( x1)2+ 4>0 , means that the numerator

is always positive and so we only focus on the denominator.

Since a positive numerator divided by a positive denominator will give u a

positive term,

( x5 ) ( x1 ) >0

we need to solve

Thus, our critical values are x = 5 and x = 1. And putting them on a number line
again!

We want the positive region and thus the solution will be

x< 1x> 5

4) Inequalities containing modulus functions

When the final solution is | x | < k, where k is a constant and that k > 0, it
means that k <

<k

Similarly, for | x | > k, where k is a constant and that k > 0, it means that

x<k

or

x> k

For cases like this |x| < |y|, where both sides of the equation are positive, you
can square both sides of the equation to get rid of the modulus.
For example, lets solve
2

Find the solution set for | x +2 x | < 3

3<

First re-express the question into another form,

and split them into 2 parts,

3< x2 +2 x
x 2+2 x +3>0

Bring them all to LHS,

(x+ 3)(x 1)>0

Critical values are

+
+

-3

and

x 2+2 x <3

and
and

x 2+2 x <3

x+2 x 3<0

(x+ 1)(x3)<0

x=3, x=1, x=1x=3

-1

So the solution for

For

( x+ 3)( x 1)>0 , is

(x+ 1)(x3)<0 , solution is

x<3x> 1

1< x <3

We combine these 2 solutions in one number line,

-3

-1

From the number line we can see the two solutions intersect at
Writing the solution set:

{x

1< x< 3 .

1< x< 3}

5) Solving inequalities using substitution from previous results