Sign In
An inequality, like an equation, is a mathematical statement that compares two quantities. An inequality contains the symbols <, >, ≤, or ≥. There are several ways each inequality can be phrased.
| Inequality Symbol | Key Phrases |
|---|---|
| < | & ∙ is less than & ∙ is fewer than |
| > | & ∙ is greater than & ∙ is more than |
| ≤ | & ∙ is less than or equal to & ∙ is at most & ∙ is no more than |
| ≥ | & ∙ is greater than or equal to & ∙ is at least & ∙ is no less than |
With an inequality, it is possible to compare any combination of two numbers, variables, numeric expressions, or algebraic expressions.
| Symbol | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| < | x<1 | The variable x is less than 1. |
| ≤ | x+1 ≤ -3 | The algebraic expression x+1 is less than or equal to - 3. |
| > | 2x-5 > 5 | The expression 2x-5 is greater than 5. |
| ≥ | x ≥ 2x+1 | The variable x is greater than or equal to the expression 2x+1. |
As shown in the table, some inequalities indicate that the two quantities are not necessarily equal, whereas others indicate that they are strictly never equal.