Algebra I
Systems of Linear Inequalities
Lesson
A system of inequalities is a collection of inequalities you want to satisfy simultaneously. The solution is the set of all points that satisfy every inequality at once — the feasible region on a graph.
How to graph one
- Graph each inequality’s boundary line(replace the inequality with an equals sign).
- For or use a dashed line. For or use a solid line.
- Shade the half-plane that satisfies the inequality.
- The overlap of all shaded regions is the feasible region.
Worked example — corner point
The feasible region’s corners sit where the boundary lines cross. For and , set the boundaries equal:
So is a corner.
Testing a point
To check if a point is in the feasible region, substitute it into everyinequality. If it satisfies all of them, it’s a solution. If it fails even one, it’s out.
The corner pointsmatter because in real-world optimization (linear programming), the best answer always lives at a corner. That’s why this topic is the bridge from algebra to applications.
How to type your answer
Enter a point as x,y — for example, 3,6.
Practice
Work through these. Stuck? Click Get a hint.
Warm-Up
Quick problems to get going.
Problem 1
Problem 2
Problem 3
Problem 4
Practice
Standard problems matching the lesson.
Problem 5
Corner of y ≥ x+1 and y ≤ 5
Problem 6
Corner of y ≥ 2x and y ≤ x + 3
Problem 7
Corner of y ≥ x and y ≤ -x + 8
Problem 8
Corner of y ≤ 3x and y ≥ x + 4
Problem 9
Top-right corner of y≥0, x≥0, y≤4, x≤5
Problem 10
Problem 11
Corner of y ≥ -x + 4 and y ≤ x
Problem 12
Corner of y ≥ x - 3 and y ≤ -2x + 9
Problem 13
Corner of 2x+y≤10, x+y≤6
Problem 14
Intersection of x+y=7 and x-y=1
Problem 15
Top-right corner of y≥0, y≤x, x≤4
Problem 16
Corner of y ≤ x + 2 and y ≥ -x + 4
Problem 17
2x + 3y ≤ 12. If x = 3, max-y corner (x,y)?
Problem 18
Max-x corner of x≥0, y≥0, x+y≤10
Challenge
Harder problems — edge cases, trickier numbers, multiple steps.
Problem 19
Intersection of 3x+y=12 and x+2y=9
Problem 20
Corner of x+y≤8 and 2x+y≤10 (both tight)
Problem 21
Corner of y ≥ 2x - 1 and y ≤ x + 3
Problem 22
Intersection of x+2y=10 and 3x+y=15
Problem 23
x + 2y ≤ 10. If x = 2, max-y corner (x,y)?
Problem 24
Intersection of y = -2x + 10 and y = x + 1
Problem 25
Top-right corner of y≥0, y≤x, x≤5
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Quiz
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10 questions, no hints. About 5 minutes.