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Math III · Mathematics
Equations · Inequalities and systems of inequalities

Rational Inequalities

Your school's yearbook club is deciding how many copies to print. Printing $x$ yearbooks costs $\$500 + \$8x$, so the average cost per book is $\dfrac{500+8x}{x}$ dollars. The club wants that average to be less than $\$13$. How many copies do they need to print?

The unknown $x$ is in a denominator, so this is a rational inequality. You will answer the club's question in the section Cost, time, and rates. First you need a reliable method.

Sign charts, not cross-multiplying

With an equation you can clear a denominator by multiplying both sides. With an inequality that is risky. If you multiply by a negative number, the inequality flips. If you multiply by an expression like $x+3$, you don't know whether it is positive or negative until you know $x$.

Here is the sign chart for $\dfrac{x-4}{x+3} > 0$.

Sign chart for (x − 4)/(x + 3) > 0 with critical numbers −3 and 4; the solution is x < −3 or x > 4. (x − 4)/(x + 3) > 0 −3 4 x − 4 −−+ x + 3 −++ quotient +−+ solution: (−∞, −3) ∪ (4, ∞)

Look at the graph: it is above the $x$-axis exactly where the sign chart says the quotient is positive.

Practice★☆☆Not started
Solve the following rational inequality, expressing its solution as an interval: $\frac{x-4}{x+3} > 0$

Solve the following rational inequality, expressing its solution as an interval:

$\frac{x-4}{x+3} > 0$

Solve
Practice★☆☆Not started
Solve the inequality: $\frac{x}{x-5} < 0$

Solve the inequality:

$\frac{x}{x-5} < 0$

Solve
Practice★☆☆Not started
Find the solution set of the inequality: $\frac{2x+6}{x-1} \le 0$

Find the solution set of the inequality:

$\frac{2x+6}{x-1} \le 0$

Solve

Excluded values: the denominator is never zero

So when the inequality is $\le$ or $\ge$, the two kinds of critical numbers behave differently.

  • A zero of the numerator makes the fraction $0$. It gets a bracket if the inequality has "or equal to."

  • A zero of the denominator makes the fraction undefined. It always gets a parenthesis.

Practice★☆☆Not started
Determine the values of $x$ that satisfy: $\frac{4}{x-6} \le 0$

Determine the values of $x$ that satisfy:

$\frac{4}{x-6} \le 0$

Solve
Practice★☆☆Not started
Solve the inequality: $\frac{-5}{2x+3} > 0$

Solve the inequality:

$\frac{-5}{2x+3} > 0$

Solve
Practice★☆☆Not started
Determine for which values of $x$ the following inequality is satisfied: $\frac{-x+5}{x+2} \ge 0$

Determine for which values of $x$ the following inequality is satisfied:

$\frac{-x+5}{x+2} \ge 0$

Solve

Factor first

When the numerator or denominator is a quadratic or higher-degree polynomial, factor it to find the critical numbers. Then use the signs of the individual factors to fill in a sign table.

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Find the solution interval of the rational inequality: $\frac{3x-9}{-x+4} \ge 0$

Find the solution interval of the rational inequality:

$\frac{3x-9}{-x+4} \ge 0$

Solve
Practice★☆☆Not started
Solve the following inequality: $\frac{x^2-9}{x+1} > 0$

Solve the following inequality:

$\frac{x^2-9}{x+1} > 0$

Solve
Practice★★☆Not started
Solve the following rational inequality and express the solution using intervals: $\frac{x^2-5x+6}{x^2-1} \le 0$

Solve the following rational inequality and express the solution using intervals:

$\frac{x^2-5x+6}{x^2-1} \le 0$

Solve

Repeated roots and factors that never change sign

Not every factor makes the sign change. Watch for these.

Why? A square can't be negative, so the graph of $(x-a)^2$ touches zero and bounces back. Positive stays positive on both sides of $a$.

Practice★★☆Not started
Solve the rational inequality, paying special attention to the multiple roots of the numerator: $\frac{x^2-6x+9}{x+4} \le 0$

Solve the rational inequality, paying special attention to the multiple roots of the numerator:

$\frac{x^2-6x+9}{x+4} \le 0$

Solve
Practice★★★Not started
Solve the following rational inequality in which the numerator is a third-degree polynomial: $\frac{x^3-8}{x^2-2x-3} \ge 0$

Solve the following rational inequality in which the numerator is a third-degree polynomial:

$\frac{x^3-8}{x^2-2x-3} \ge 0$

Solve
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Solve the rational inequality, first factoring the polynomials in the numerator and denominator: $\frac{x^4-16}{x^3-2x^2} \le 0$

Solve the rational inequality, first factoring the polynomials in the numerator and denominator:

$\frac{x^4-16}{x^3-2x^2} \le 0$

Solve

Something on the other side, or fractions on both sides

A sign chart only compares a fraction to $0$. If the inequality is $\dfrac{P(x)}{Q(x)}\gtrless k$ with $k\ne0$, or has fractions on both sides, move everything to one side and combine into a single fraction first.

Sign chart for (−x + 7)/(x − 3) ≥ 0 with an open circle at 3, a closed circle at 7, and solution (3, 7]. (−x + 7)/(x − 3) ≥ 0 3 7 −x + 7 ++− x − 3 −++ quotient −+− solution: (3, 7]
Practice★★☆Not started
Find the solution set of the inequality: $\frac{x+3}{x-2} \ge 2$

Find the solution set of the inequality:

$\frac{x+3}{x-2} \ge 2$

Solve
Practice★★☆Not started
Determine the set of values that satisfy the following inequality between algebraic fractions: $\frac{1}{x+1} < \frac{1}{x-3}$

Determine the set of values that satisfy the following inequality between algebraic fractions:

$\frac{1}{x+1} < \frac{1}{x-3}$

Solve
Practice★★★Not started
Find the solution set of the following rational inequality: $\frac{x+2}{x-1} \le \frac{x-4}{x+2}$

Find the solution set of the following rational inequality:

$\frac{x+2}{x-1} \le \frac{x-4}{x+2}$

Solve

Cost, time, and rates

Rational functions model average cost per item, travel time, and rates. The plan is always the same: translate the words into an inequality, solve it with a sign chart, then check that the answer makes sense (a number of items can't be negative, a speed must be positive).

Now we can answer the yearbook club's question from the start of the page.

Back to the club's question: since the number of books must be a whole number greater than $100$, the club needs to print at least 101 copies for the average cost to drop below $\$13$.

Practice★★☆Not started
The average daily cost (in dollars) of producing $x$ electronic components in a factory is given by the expression $C(x) = \frac{800+15x}{x}$. Determine for what…

The average daily cost (in dollars) of producing $x$ electronic components in a factory is given by the expression $C(x) = \frac{800+15x}{x}$. Determine for what production levels the average cost will be strictly less than $\$25$ per component.

Solve
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The time $T$ (in hours) it takes a boat to travel a distance of $120$ miles downstream is modeled by $T(v) = \frac{120}{v+4}$, where $v$ is the boat's own speed in mph.…

The time $T$ (in hours) it takes a boat to travel a distance of $120$ miles downstream is modeled by $T(v) = \frac{120}{v+4}$, where $v$ is the boat's own speed in mph. For what speeds $v > 0$ will the journey be completed in less than $5$ hours?

Solve
Practice★★☆Not started
The growth rate of a bacterial population (in thousands of bacteria per hour) as a function of time $t$ (in hours) is given by the function $R(t) = \frac{t^2-16}{t+2}$.…

The growth rate of a bacterial population (in thousands of bacteria per hour) as a function of time $t$ (in hours) is given by the function $R(t) = \frac{t^2-16}{t+2}$. In which time intervals $t \ge 0$ is the growth rate strictly positive?

Solve

Models, formulas, and graphs

Sometimes the denominator is always positive. Then multiplying by it is safe: it can't flip the inequality. Other times a formula has to be solved for one variable first.

Practice★★☆Not started
The concentration of a drug in the bloodstream, measured in mg/L, $t$ hours after its administration is given by the function $C(t) = \frac{4t}{t^2+4}$. During what time…

The concentration of a drug in the bloodstream, measured in mg/L, $t$ hours after its administration is given by the function $C(t) = \frac{4t}{t^2+4}$. During what time interval $t \ge 0$ is the drug concentration greater than or equal to $1$ mg/L?

Solve
Practice★★★Not started
In optics, the thin lens equation relates the focal length $f$, the object distance $p$, and the image distance $q$ using the formula…

In optics, the thin lens equation relates the focal length $f$, the object distance $p$, and the image distance $q$ using the formula $\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{p} + \frac{1}{q}$. If a lens with a focal length of $f = 12$ in. is used, determine for what object distances $p > 0$ the image distance $q$ will be greater than $24$ in.

Solve
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The thermal efficiency index $E(r)$ of a cylindrical cooling system depends on the radius $r$ (in feet) of the ducts according to the function…

The thermal efficiency index $E(r)$ of a cylindrical cooling system depends on the radius $r$ (in feet) of the ducts according to the function $E(r) = \frac{r^2-4r+3}{r^2-6r+8}$. Engineers require this index to be strictly negative so that the system does not overheat. For what values of the radius $r > 0$ is the system safe? Support your answer using the graph of the function.

r E(r) 1 2 3 4 5 E(r)
Solve

Domain of a square root of a fraction

A square root is defined only when its radicand is $\ge 0$. If the radicand is a fraction, the domain comes from a rational inequality of the "$\ge 0$" type, which also excludes zeros of the denominator.

Practice★★★Not started
Determine the domain of definition of the real function $f(x) = \sqrt{\frac{x^2-x-2}{x^2+4x+3}}$.

Determine the domain of definition of the real function $f(x) = \sqrt{\frac{x^2-x-2}{x^2+4x+3}}$.

Solve

Systems of rational inequalities

For a system, solve each inequality separately, then keep the numbers that satisfy both. That is the intersection of the solution sets.

Three number lines: solution of the first inequality, solution of the second, and their overlap (−4, −1). (x + 1)/(x − 3) > 0 (x − 2)/(x + 4) < 0 both: (−4, −1) −4 −1 2 3
Practice★★★Not started
Solve the following system of rational inequalities and express the result as a union of intervals:…

Solve the following system of rational inequalities and express the result as a union of intervals:

$\begin{cases} \frac{x-2}{x+3} \ge 0 \\ \frac{x^2-16}{x} \le 0 \end{cases}$

Solve

Inequalities with a parameter

Sometimes the question is: for which values of a constant $k$ does an inequality hold for every real $x$? When the denominator is always positive, everything depends on the numerator, and the discriminant decides.

Practice★★★Not started
Determine for what values of the real parameter $k$ the following inequality is satisfied for all $x \in \mathbb{R}$: $\frac{x^2-kx+9}{x^2+1} > 0$

Determine for what values of the real parameter $k$ the following inequality is satisfied for all $x \in \mathbb{R}$:

$\frac{x^2-kx+9}{x^2+1} > 0$

Solve

Summary

See all the exercises in this section