How do you solve and graph #-x-3<-5#?

1 Answer
Mar 14, 2017

The answer is #x>2#.

Explanation:

graph{x>2 [-10, 10, -5, 5]}

To solve, first treat the inequality like an equation.

#- x - 3 < -5#

Add #3# to each side to isolate the variable. So you get

#- x < - 2#

To get rid of the negative, you must divide by #-1# on both sides because #x# is being multiplied by #-1#. When dividing an inequality by a negative number, you have to flip the sign.

Final answer:

#x > 2#

Now use this equation to graph. You are trying to locate all points where the #x# value is greater than #2#.

First, find the horizontal line #x=2#. Since the inequality is greater than and not greater than or equal to #2#, #x=2# is not a value.

So this line will be dotted. (if the equation was #x >= 2#, the line would be solid.) You are looking for all points where #x# is greater than #2#, so shade in the whole portion of the graph which is to the right of the dotted line.

These are all the points whose #x#-values are greater than #2#.