Need help with 11th grade algebra

[Mathemoron]

Hi! Um... as you can see from my username I'm not very good at math. I'm in the 11th grade and I'm homeschooled. I'm 4 months behind in algebra and my step-mom gets busy sometimes and can't help me enough. Right now, I'm about to start learning how to solve linear inequalities or whatever. My work book doesn't explain it very well. Could someone please explain it to me, in the simplest terms possible?

 

[Deleted member 4993]

For an excellent explanation and example problems, go to:

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/ineqsolv.htm

 

[Mathemoron]

Awesome! Thank you very much! I only have one question. What do they mean by "flip the inequaility sign"?

 

[mmm4444bot]

"Flip the inequality sign" means to reverse the direction.

< becomes >

> becomes <

<= becomes >=

>= becomes <=

EG

Negative ten is a smaller number than negative one, so we write:

-10 < -1

If we multiply or divide both sides of this inequality by -1, then both numbers turn positive.

It is not correct to leave the inequality symbol unchanged and write

10 < 1

because ten is not less than one.

Multiplying or dividing by a negative number changes the relationship.

Therefore, always "flip the inequality symbol" whenever you multiply or divide both sides of an inequality by a negative amount.

10 > 1