Algebra: Chapter 4, Lesson 4, page 183.
Using the Properties Together
Inequalities of 2 steps
We do the same, again, as equalities and solve by:
- Distributing when required
- Combining like terms
- Adding or subtracting terms to isolate variables and numbers (constants)
- Multiplying or dividing to finish solving for the variable, remembering to reverse the sign of the inequality IF we multiply or divide by a NEGATIVE NUMBER.
For example:
`7x + 4 ≤ 4x + 16`
subtract `4x` from both sides, that looks like
`7x – 4x + 4 ≤ 4x – 4x + 16`
now combine like terms on the left and the right sides
`3x + 4 ≤ 16`
subtract 4 from each side
`3x + 4 – 4 ≤ 16 – 4`
combine like terms again on both sides, so that
`3x ≤ 12`
and finally divide both sides by 3
`(3x)/3 ≤ 12/3`, so that finally
`x ≤ 4`
Go slow and show all the steps! Here are some more examples from purplemath.com