Concept 4

Solving Polynomial or Rational inequalities

Fitting a polynomial equation to its graph:
There is no fixed-steps formula for this. The best way is to demonstrate with an example. Cases are
extremely important and be sure to intersect the answer with the case requirements.
Example:
1. Solve the inequality algebraically.
( )
2
2
2
0
9 20
x x x
x x
+
s
+ +

First, factor:
( )( )
( )( )
2 1
0
4 5
x x x
x x
+
s
+ +

We need to use cases:
Case 1:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
4 0 5 0 4 0 5 0
4 5 4 5
4 5
x x x x
x x x x
x x
+ > + > + < + < ( (

> > < < ( (

> <

( )( ) 2 1 0 x x x + s
Again, we need cases. This time, there are three expressions involved. For the final product to
be less than or equal to 0, either all of the expressions need to be less than or equal to 0 or one
of the expressions needs to be less than or equal to 0 and the other two nonnegative.
Writing this in mathematical terms,
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) { }
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) { }
( ) ( )
0 2 0 1 0
0 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0
0 2 1
0 2 1 0 2 1 0 2 1
2 0 1
x x x
x x x x x x x x x
x x x
x x x x x x x x x
x x
s + s s (

s + > > > + s > > + > s ( ( (

s s s (

s > > > s > > > s ( ( (

s s s

Combining this result with the case requirements,
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
2 0 1 4 5
4 2 5 0 1
x x x x
x x x
s s s > < ( (

< s < s s

Case 2:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
4 0 5 0 4 0 5 0
4 5 4 5
5 4
x x x x
x x x x
x
+ > + < + < + > ( (

> < < > ( (

< <

( )( ) 2 1 0 x x x + >
Again, we need cases. This time, there are three expressions involved. For the final product to
be nonnegative, either all of the expressions need to be nonnegative or one of the expressions
needs to be nonnegative and the other two less than or equal to 0.
Writing this in mathematical terms,
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) { }
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) { }
( ) ( )
0 2 0 1 0
0 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0
0 2 1
0 2 1 0 2 1 0 2 1
1 2 0
x x x
x x x x x x x x x
x x x
x x x x x x x x x
x x
> + > > (

> + s s s + > s s + s > ( ( (

> > > (

> s s s > s s s > ( ( (

> s s

Combining this result with the case requirements,
( ) ( ) ( ) 1 2 0 5 4 x x x > s s < < (

C

Final answer: ( ) ( ) ( ) 4 2 5 0 1 x x x < s < s s or ( , 5) ( 4, 2] [0,1]