How do you translate words into an inequality?

1 Answer
Sayani R.
Oct 24, 2014

You need to follow the language properly.
Phrases such as 'at least' mean #>=# and phrases such as 'at most' or 'not more than' indicate #<=#.
'Less than' and 'more than' indicate #<# and #># respectively.

Consider this problem-
You have gone to the market to buy gifts for more than 13 people. You have already bought 3 gifts. How many more do you need to buy?

See, the keyword here is 'more than'.
Let the remaining number of gifts be x. Therefore the required inequation will be 3+x>13, or, x>10.

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