Final answer:
The inequality '2 times k is greater than -3' is represented as 2k > -3. Inequalities use symbols to compare quantities and are reversed when multiplied by a negative number. Such mathematical concepts are essential across various fields, including science for equilibrium concentrations and physics for the shape of the universe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The inequality that represents the statement '2 times k is greater than -3' is written mathematically as 2k > -3.
Inequalities are used in mathematics to compare different quantities. To solve or represent inequalities, we use inequality symbols such as greater than (>), less than (<), greater than or equal to (≥), and less than or equal to (≤). When using inequalities, it’s important to remember that multiplying or dividing both sides of an inequality by a negative number reverses the inequality sign.
For example, in science and other fields, understanding inequalities is vital. In Chemistry, k often represents the equilibrium constant, and an inequality like k > 1 suggests a greater concentration of products than reactants at equilibrium. In Physics, the curvature parameter k indicates the shape of the universe with inequalities like k > 0 for a closed universe or k < 0 for an open universe.
If a student is working with metric conversions, they need to use the same units before comparing. For example, comparing distances might involve changing 2 km to 2000 meters to establish that 2 km > 400 m. Similarly, understanding how numbers interact during multiplication helps in determining signs of products, for example, that the product of two negative numbers is positive (e.g., (-4) x (-3) = 12).