Topic: Equations and Inequalities C2.4 – What is an Inequality?

Ontario Curriculum Expectation:

5.C2.4 solve inequalities that involve one operation and whole numbers up to 50, and verify and graph the solutions.

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An inequality shows the relationship of two expressions when they are compared.

These symbols are used in inequalities:

>   Greater than

<   Less than

≥   Greater than or equal to

≤   Less than or equal to

Here is an example of an inequality that means 8 is greater than 6:

8 > 6

We can also use a variable in an inequality such as:

n < 9

n < 9 means n is a value smaller than 9. So there are many possibilities. n can be 5, 6, or 8.

But n cannot be 9 because 9 is not less than 9.