Writing Inequality Word Problems

Front

What is an inequality?

Back

An inequality is a mathematical statement that compares two expressions using symbols such as <, >, ≤, or ≥, indicating that one expression is less than, greater than, or equal to another.

Front

How do you represent a situation where someone wants to earn at least a certain amount of money?

Back

You can represent this situation using an inequality where the variable (e.g., hours worked) is multiplied by the rate of pay and set greater than or equal to the desired amount.

Front

What does the symbol '≥' mean in an inequality?

Back

The symbol '≥' means 'greater than or equal to', indicating that the value on the left is either greater than or equal to the value on the right.

Front

How do you write an inequality for earning money based on hourly wage?

Back

If a person earns an hourly wage 'w' and wants to earn at least 'a' dollars, the inequality can be written as w * h ≥ a, where h is the number of hours worked.

Front

What is the first step in solving an inequality?

Back

The first step in solving an inequality is to isolate the variable on one side of the inequality sign.

Front

How do you interpret the solution of an inequality in a real-world context?

Back

The solution of an inequality represents the range of values that satisfy the condition, often indicating the minimum or maximum required in a real-world scenario.

Front

What does the inequality 15h ≥ 105 represent in a word problem?

Back

It represents that Johnny needs to work at least enough hours (h) at $15 per hour to earn at least $105.

Front

How do you round up when solving an inequality for hours worked?

Back

When solving for hours worked, if the result is not a whole number, round up to the next whole hour since you cannot work a fraction of an hour.

Front

What is the significance of the constant term in an inequality?

Back

The constant term in an inequality often represents a fixed amount, such as initial money or costs that must be accounted for in the total.

Front

How do you set up an inequality for a budget constraint?

Back

To set up an inequality for a budget constraint, add the costs of items and set the total less than or equal to the budget amount.