How do you write an inequality for the following statement. 3 is less than or equal to x?

2 Answers
smendyka
Nov 21, 2016

#3 <= x#

Explanation:

In mathematical terms "is less than or equal to" is written as: #<=#.

So we can write 3 is less than or equal to x as:

#3 <= x#

Tony B
Nov 21, 2016

#3 <=x#

Explanation:

Lets consider some examples

#2=2#
#2=3-1# and so on.

That deals with the equals bit

2 is less than 3 #-> 2<3#

The gap between the two lines of < on the right is much greater than the left. The greater gap indicates greater value. So reading left to right #2< 3# Stating the obvious; the 2 is less than the 3

or 3 is greater than 2 #-> 3>2#

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(blue)("Putting them together")#

Look at the order of the wording " 3 less than or equal to #x# "

Writing the numbers and symbols in the same order as the wording we have

#3 < =x# However, the correct format for this is #3 <= x#

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#color(blue)("Footnote")#

a less than b #" "->" " a < b#

a less than or equal to b #" "->" " a<=b#

a greater than b #" "->" "a>b#

a greater than or equal to b#->" "a>=b#

a not equal to b#" "->" "a!=b#

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