Year 9 Inequalities

Objectives: Solving linear inequalities, combining inequalities and

representing solutions on number lines.

Last modified: 23rd March 2019

Writing inequalities and drawing number lines
You need to be able to sketch equalities and strict inequalities on a number line.
This is known as a

x>3 ‘strict’ inequality.

x < -1
? than 3.
Means: x is (strictly) greater Means: x is (strictly) less?than -1.

0 1 2 3 4 5 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2

? ?

x≥4 x≤5
Means: x is greater than?or equal to 4. ? to 5.
Means: x is less than or equal

2 3 4 5 6 7 2 3 4 5 6 7

? ?
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?

�>� Can we add

or subtract to
both sides?

� −�>�

 Deal
Click to Click to
No Deal
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?

� �>� Can we divide

both sides by
a positive

�>� number?

 Deal
Click to Click to
No Deal
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?

�< � Can we multiply

both sides by a
positive number?

� �<�

 Deal
Click to Click to
No Deal
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?

�< � Can we multiply

both sides by a
negative number?

− � <−�

Deal
Click to Click to
No Deal
‘Flipping’ the inequality

If we multiply or divide both sides of the inequality by a

negative number, the inequality ‘flips’!

OMG magic!

2 < -4
-2 4
Click to start
Bro-manimation
Alternative Approach
Or you could simply avoid dividing by a negative number at all by
moving the variable to the side that is positive.

−�<3 ?
?

1−3�≥7 ?
?
?
?
Quickfire Examples

Solve
2�<4 �<2
?

Solve
− �> −3 �<3
?

Solve
4 � ≥ 12 � ≥? 3
Solve
− 4 �>4 �<−? 1

� Solve
− ≤1
2
� ≥?−2
Deal or No Deal?
We can manipulate inequalities in various ways, but which of these are allowed and
not allowed?

1
<2
� Can we multiply
both sides by a
variable?

1<2 �
Deal
Click to Click to
No Deal

The problem is, we don’t know if the variable

has a positive or negative value, so negative
solutions would flip it and positive ones
wouldn’t. You won’t have to solve questions
like this until Further Maths A Level!
More Examples Hint: Do the addition/subtraction before you do the
multiplication/division.

Solve
3 � − 4< 20 �<
? 8

Solve
4 � +7 >35 � >7
?

� Solve
� ≥ −14
5+ ≥ − 2 ?
2
Solve
7 −3 � >4 � <1
?
Solve
� � ≥? 15
6− ≤1
3
Dealing with multiple inequalities
Hint: Do the addition/subtraction before you do the
multiplication/division.

8 < 5x
5x -- 22 ≤ 23
and

2 < x and x ≤ 5

�< � ≤ � Click to start

bromanimation
More Examples Hint: Do the addition/subtraction before you do the
multiplication/division.

Solve
�<� � + �<� −�<?� <�
Solve
−�<− � < � −� <? �< �
Test Your Understanding

Solve
��<� � − �<�� �< �? <�
Solve
�<� −� � <� −�<?� <�
Exercise 1
Solve the following inequalities, and N1 Sketch the graphs for
illustrate each on a number line: and . Hence solve
0<x<1

2�−1>5�>�
1
?
2 ? ?
3
? N2 You can get around the problem of
4 multiplying/dividing both sides by
? an expression involving a variable,
by separately considering when
5
? the denominator positive, and
when it’s negative, and putting
6 ? this together.
Hence solve:
7 ? If we assume is positive, then and solving
8 ? gives . Thus as we had to assume . If then
this solves to which is a contradiction.
9 ? Thus
10 ? ?
11 ?
Combining inequalities
It’s absolutely crucial that you distinguish between the words ‘and’ and ‘or’ when
constraining the values of a variable.

How would we express How would we express

AND “x is greater than or equal OR “x is less than -1, or
to 2, and less than 4”? greater than 3”?

x ≥ 2 and
? x<4 x < -1 or
? x>3

x ≥ 2,?x < 4 This is the only way you would

write this – you must use the
word ‘or’.
2 ≤ x? < 4

This last one emphasises the fact

that x is between 2 and 4.
Combining inequalities
It’s absolutely crucial that you distinguish between the words ‘and’ and ‘or’ when
constraining the values of a variable.

2≤x<4 x < -1 or x > 4

0 1 2 3 4 5 -1 0 1 2 3 4

? ?
Combining inequalities
It’s absolutely crucial that you distinguish between the words ‘and’ and ‘or’ when
constraining the values of a variable.

To illustrate the difference, what happens when we switch them?

or and
x ≥ 2 and x < 4 x < -1 or x > 4

0 1 2 3 4 5 -1 0 1 2 3 4

? ?
I will shoot you if I see any of these…

4 > � <8 This is technically equivalent to:

x<4 ?

4 < � >7 This is technically equivalent to:

x>7 ?

The least offensive of the three,

7> >4 but should be written:
4<x<7 ?
Combining Inequalities
In general, we can combine inequalities either by common sense, or using number lines...
2 5 Where are you on
both lines?
4

Combined
? �> �

2 5

2< �< 5
4

�< 4
Combined
? � <�
�<
Test Your Understanding

-1 5
1 condition
st
?
-3 3
2 condition
nd
?

Combined ?
Exercise 2
By sketching the number lines or otherwise,
combine the following inequalities.

1 ?
2 ?
3 ?
4 ?
5 ?
6 ?
7 ?
8 ?
9 ?
10 ?
11 ?
12
?1
13
?
14
?
15 2
9 ?