Final answer:
The correct answer is B, as solutions for 'less than' or 'less than or equal to' inequalities are typically below the line, although this depends on the specific inequality involving the slope and intercept of the line.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question "If an inequality in two variables begins with 'less than' or 'less than or equal to', does that always mean the solutions are below the line?" is B. No, it depends on the specific inequality. When graphing an inequality in two variables, such as y < mx + b or y ≤ mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept, the inequality indicates the region of the coordinate plane that satisfies the inequality. For an inequality using 'less than', the solutions are represented by the area below the line if the line is drawn as a dashed line (not including the line itself). If the inequality uses 'less than or equal to', the solutions include the area below the line and the line itself, which is drawn as a solid line. Thus, when dealing with 'less than' inequalities, it's correct to shade below the line for the set of solutions. However, the specific direction and position of the solutions depend on the slope and intercept of the line as well. For example, if we compare a line with a positive slope to a line with a negative slope, the orientation of the solutions will differ because the lines themselves have different directions.