Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Rational Inequalities
Rational inequalities involve expressions that are ratios of polynomials set in relation to zero. To solve them, one must determine where the rational expression is positive or negative. This typically involves finding critical points where the numerator or denominator equals zero and testing intervals around these points to establish the sign of the expression.
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Rationalizing Denominators
Interval Notation
Interval notation is a mathematical notation used to represent a range of values. It uses parentheses and brackets to indicate whether endpoints are included (closed intervals) or excluded (open intervals). For example, (a, b) represents all numbers between a and b, not including a and b, while [a, b] includes both endpoints.
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Critical Points
Critical points are values of the variable where the rational expression is either zero or undefined. These points are essential for determining the intervals to test in the inequality. In the given inequality, critical points arise from setting the numerator and denominator to zero, which helps in analyzing the sign of the expression across different intervals.
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