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One-step inequalities review

Review evaluating one-step inequalities, and try some practice problems.

Inequalities symbols

SymbolMeaning
>Greater than
>Greater than or equal to
<Less than
<Less than or equal to

Evaluating inequalities with addition and subtraction

We evaluate inequalities like we evaluate equations: we want to isolate the variable.
Example 1: x+7>4
To isolate x, let's subtract 7 from both sides.
x+77>47
Now, we simplify.
x>3
Example 2: z11 <5
To isolate z, let's add 11 to both sides.
z11+11 <5+11
Now, we simplify.
z <16
Want to learn more about one-step inequalities? Check out this video.

Practice set 1

Problem 1A
Solve for x.
Your answer must be simplified.
x8<1

Evaluating inequalities with multiplication and division

Again, we want to isolate the variable. But things will get a little different when multiply or divide by a negative number. Look carefully to see what happens!
Example 1: 10x<3
To isolate x, let's divide both sides by 10.
10x10<310
Now, we simplify.
x<310
Example 2: y6 > 4
To isolate y, let's multiply both sides by 6.
(y6)×6 > 4×6
Now, we simplify.
y <24

Practice set 2

Problem 2A
Solve for x.
Your answer must be simplified.
2x<15

Want to try more problems like this? Check out this exercise.

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