Solve the Inequality: Finding Values Less Than -4 on a Number Line

Q: How do I know which number is bigger when both are negative?

On a number line, numbers get larger as you move to the right. Since -4 is to the right of -5, we know $ -4 > -5 $. Think of it like temperature: -4° is warmer than -5°!

Q: What does the > symbol really mean?

The greater than symbol (>) always points to the smaller number. So $ -4 > -5 $ means "-4 is greater than -5" - the wide part faces the larger number.

Q: Why is -4 greater than -5 if 4 is less than 5?

With negative numbers, the rules flip! The number closer to zero is actually larger. Since -4 is closer to 0 than -5, we have $ -4 > -5 $.

Q: How can I check my answer using the number line?

Look at the positions: if the first number is to the right of the second number, then the inequality with > is true. Here, -4 is right of -5, so $ -4 > -5 $ is correct!

Inequality Comparison with Number Line Reading

$-4 > A$

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Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

$-4 > A$

Step-by-step solution

We will begin by locating the letter A on the number line in order to ascertain its numerical value:

$A=-5$

We will then insert the given value into the expression:

$-4 > -5$

We can thus determine that the expression is correct.

Final Answer

True

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: Find the point position on the number line first
Technique: A is at -5, so check if -4 > -5
Check: -4 is to the right of -5, making -4 > -5 true ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Reading the inequality direction incorrectly
Don't confuse -4 > A with A > -4 = opposite conclusion! The inequality symbol points to the smaller number, so -4 > -5 means -4 is greater than -5. Always read the inequality from left to right exactly as written.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ 5 < -5 $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

How do I know which number is bigger when both are negative?

On a number line, numbers get larger as you move to the right. Since -4 is to the right of -5, we know $-4 > -5$ . Think of it like temperature: -4° is warmer than -5°!

What does the > symbol really mean?

The greater than symbol (>) always points to the smaller number. So $-4 > -5$ means "-4 is greater than -5" - the wide part faces the larger number.

Why is -4 greater than -5 if 4 is less than 5?

With negative numbers, the rules flip! The number closer to zero is actually larger. Since -4 is closer to 0 than -5, we have $-4 > -5$ .

How can I check my answer using the number line?

Look at the positions: if the first number is to the right of the second number, then the inequality with > is true. Here, -4 is right of -5, so $-4 > -5$ is correct!

What if A was at a different position?

Simply find A's value from the number line and substitute it in. For example, if A was at -3, then $-4 > -3$ would be false since -4 is to the left of -3.

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