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

All negative numbers appear on the number line to the left of the number 0.

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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