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Inequalities

Inequalities are mathematical sentences comparing two quantities that are not equal (or possibly not equal). There are five inequality symbols:

$x \neq 3$	$x$ is not equal to $3$
$x < 3$	$x$ is less than $3$
$x > 3$	$x$ is greater than $3$
$x \leq 3$	$x$ is less than or equal to $3$
$x \geq 3$	$x$ is greater than or equal to $3$

Graphing Inequalities in One Variable

The solutions of inequalities can be graphed on the number line as rays . If the inequality is "strict" ( $<$ or $>$ ), we use an open dot to indicate that the endpoint of the ray is not part of the solution. For the other types of inequalities ( $\leq$ and $\geq$ ), we use a closed dot to indicate that the endpoint is part of the solution.

Example:

Math diagram