80.8k views
1 vote
If you distribute a negative factor, should you flip the inequality symbol? And why be specific

1 Answer

3 votes
you flip is when you mulitply the whole equation by a negative
not when you distribute a negative
if yo had
-3(x+4)>x
you wouldn't flip the negative symbol when distributing then -3

but if you had
-3(x+4)>-x
you would eventually have to multiply by -1 to make +1x


because they will be differente
exaple

12>3 is true
if yo multiply negative
-12>-3 is fale
-12<-3 is true

anothe rexample with placeholders
x<x+2
mulitply -1
-x>-x-2
false
-x<-x-2
true
that is why we flop the inequality symbole
User Ahmad Mousa
by
7.6k points