MATHEMATICS UNIT KMTJ

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topic 2
EQUATIONS, INEQUALITIES &
ABSOLUTE VALUES
2.1 EQUATIONS
NOTE: Check whether both values satisfy the original equation.
Example 1
Find the value of x when:
a) 5 125
x

x
c) 49

3 x2

2
3

b) x 4

x 1
x 1
d) 27 9

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Example 2
Solve the following equations
(a)

52 x1 6 5x 1

(b) 4

x 1

5 2x 1 0

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(c)

e2 x 3e x 2 0.

(d)

9x1 3x3 3x 3 0.

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Example 3
Solve each of the following equations:
(a)

2x 1 5 0

(b)

3x 1 1 x

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(c) x 13 7 x 2

(d) 3x 1 2 x 1 x 2

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Example 4
Solve the equation log3 x 4log x 3 3 0.

Example 5
Solve the equation log 2 x log 2 x 7 3.

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Example 6
Solve the equation 3ln 2 x 4 2ln 2 x.

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2.2

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Inequalities

Properties of Inequalities
If

a b then
Properties

ac bc

Examples (a=10, b=4)

c 5

10 (5) 4 (5)
5 1
c3

ac bc , c 0

10(3) 4(3)
30 12
c 3

ac bc , c 0

1 1
,
a b

and a, b 0.

10(3) 4(3)
30 12
1 1

10 4
0.1 0.25

Notes: If multiply with -ve number, inequalities will change the sign.
Express answer in the form of solution set or interval form.
For my mothers birthday. I would like to a chocolate cake and a cheese
cake. The price of a chocolate cake is less than half of the price of a cheese
cake. How can we present this problem mathematically?
Let x be the price of a cheese cake
y be the price of a chocolate cake
1
1
and
x
y x0
2
2
This is known as linear inequalities.

then

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(i) Linear Inequalities

Example 7
Solve the following inequalities:
(a)

2x 4 > 8

(b)

4x 5 < 2x + 9

(c)

3x + 5

x7

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(d)

- 7 < 2 + 3x < 8

(e)

-2

x4
2

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(ii) Quadratic Inequalities

A quadratic inequality is in the form ax 2 bx c 0 where a, b and c are
real number with a 0 . The inequality symbols

and

may also be

used.

Quadratic inequalities can be solved by using graphical or algebraic

approach.

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(a) Graphical Approach:

The graph of quadratic expression y ax 2 bx c is sketched and points
where the graph cuts the x-axis, say p and q are noted.

if a >0

y > 0 when x < p or x > q

y < 0 when p < x < q
y
if a <0

y > 0 when p < x < q

y < 0 when x < p or x > q
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Example 8
Solve the following inequalities by using graphical approach.
(a)

x 2 6x 5 0

(b)

6 7 x 3x 2 0

(c)

3x( x 5) 2(2 x 3)

(b) Algebraic Approach:

(i) Real number line
(ii) Table of signs

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Example 9
Solve the following quadratic inequalities by using Algebraic Approach.
(a)

x 2 2 x 15 0

Solution
Method 1: Real Number Line

Method 2: Table of sign

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(b)

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(2x 1)( x 3) 4x

Method 1: Real Number Line

Method 2: Table of sign

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(iii) Rational inequalities involving linear expressions

Ratio inequalities are inequalities that can be expressed in the form of
P( X )
P( X )
P( X )
P( X )
0 , and
0,
0,
0;
Q( X )
Q( X )
Q( X )
Q( X )

Q(X) 0, where P(X) and Q(X) are linear expression.

3x 1
2,
Example:
x5

x 2 2x 1
2
1
0 and

x3
2x 3 x 1

Ratio inequalities can be solved by using algebraic approach.

Algebraic Approach:
(i) Real number line
(ii) Table of signs

Note
1. Do not cross multiply or multiply both side with Q(X) because
the sign of Q(X) might be positive or negative. Therefore, we dont
want whether the symbol of inequality is to be reversed.
2. Rewrite the inequalities with 0 on the right and use only addition or
subtraction to get an equivalent inequality.

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Example 10
Find the solution set of following inequalities:
(a)

x2
0
x4

Solution
Method 1: Real Number Line

Method 2: Table of sign

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(b)

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3x 1
1
x4

Solution
Method 1: Real Number Line

Method 2: Table of sign

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(c)

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3
2

x3 x2

Solution
Method 1: Real Number Line

Method 2: Table of sign

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(d)

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15
3x 2
x2

Solution
Method 1: Real Number Line

Method 2: Table of sign

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Example 11
x 2 6x 9
0
Find the set of values of x for which
x7

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2.3 Absolute Values

Definition
On the real number line, the distance of a number x from 0 (origin) is
called the absolute value of x and is denoted by x .
Example 6 6 and 6 6 because both 6 and 6 are 6 units from 0.

6 unit

-6

6 unit

a, if a 0
a

and represent it on
Absolute value of a is defined as
a, if a 0
the number line.

We found that if a is positive or 0, then

a 2 = a.

2
If a is negative, we must write a = -a, for example

The equivalent definition of absolute values is a

If | x | = a, a

-a

(2) 2 = - ( - 2) = 2.

a2 .

0 therefore | x | = a is equivalent to x = a or x = - a.

a
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Properties of absolute values

Properties of absolute values
1.

a 0

Examples
|3| = 3 > 0, |0| = 0

a a

|5| = 5

3.

ab ba

|-2 +6| = |4| = 4

|3-10| = |-7| = 7

4.

a b ba

|(-3) 6| = |-18| = 18

5.

ab a b

2.

6.

a
a

, b 0
b
b

|-5| = 5

|6 + (-2)| = |4| = 4
|10 3| = |7| = 7
|-3| |6| = 3 6 = 18
12
3

= |-4| = 4

12 12
4
3 3

Method to solve absolute values:

i.

Basic Definition (only 1 side absolute value)

ii.

Squaring both sides (both sides absolute value)

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Example 12
Solve the following equation:
(a) | x | = 4

(b) | x + 8 | = 2

(c) | 5x + 3 | = 2x + 9

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(d) | 2x + 6 | = | x 1|

(e)

x 1
2
x3

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Absolute value inequalities

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x a

is equivalent to

a x a

x a

is equivalent to

a x a

x a

is equivalent to

x a or x a

is equivalent to

x a or x a

x a

Methods to solve absolute values inequalities:

1. Basic Definition (only 1 side absolute value)
2. Squaring Both Sides (both sides absolute value)

Example 13
Solve the absolute values
(a)

2x 3 5

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(b)

2x 1 5

(c)

4x 1 2x 5

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(d)

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x2 5x 3 3

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Example 14
Solve the inequalities
(a)

1
3
x2

(b)

10 2 x
1
3x 1

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(c)

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x2
3
x3

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Example 15
Solve the inequalities
(a) x 3 2 x 5

(b) x 2 2 x 3

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