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Hey there! Today we are exploring inequalities, which help us compare things that aren't exactly equal.
In math, we often use the equals sign (=) to show two things are the same. But in the real world, things are often unequal—like having 'more than' or 'less than' a certain amount of pocket money!
To show these relationships, we use special symbols. The '<' symbol means 'less than' and the '>' symbol means 'greater than'. An easy way to remember is that the symbol always opens its wide mouth toward the bigger value!
We can also graph inequalities on a number line. For 'greater than' (>) or 'less than' (<), we use an open circle because the starting number itself is not included in the solution.
Write down the inequality shown by this statement: 'The temperature, t, is colder than -5 degrees.' Then, state if -5 is a possible solution.
- Identify the variable representing the temperature, which is 't'.
- Identify the key phrase 'colder than', which translates to 'less than' (<).
- Identify the comparison value, which is '-5'.
- Write the complete inequality: t < -5.
- Determine if -5 is a solution: Since 'less than' does not include the number itself, -5 is not a solution.
