Question

Solve the inequality) 3a - 4 < 5 (line under greater or less then) As you solve the problem, do it with numbers instead of the word form, for example, 1+1=2 instead of one plus one equals two.

Answer 1

a ≤ 3

Explanation:

Undo what is done to the variable. The variable is multiplied by 3 and 4 is subtracted from that result. To undo these operations, you add 4, then divide by 3.

... 3a ≤ 9 . . . . 4 is added to both sides of the inequality

... a ≤ 3 . . . . . both sides of the inequality are divided by 3

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Comment on solving inequalities

These are the same steps you would use to solve the 2-step equation ...

... 3a -4 = 5

The only difference between solving equations and solving inequalities is that when you multiply or divide by a negative number, you reverse the sense of the comparison (> becomes <, and vice versa; ≥ becomes ≤, and vice versa). You can see this if you consider numbers: 2 > 1. Multiplying by -1 gives -2 < -1.