document.write( "Question 614843: (x-4)(3x+1)(x+1)>0 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #386832 by jsmallt9(3758)![]() ![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! This has nothing to do with logarithms. Posting your problems in the correct category will improve the chances and speed of a response. \n" ); document.write( "(x-4)(3x+1)(x+1) > 0 \n" ); document.write( "This inequality, in essence, says that the product of three numbers is greater than zero, IOW, the product of three numbers is positive. \n" ); document.write( "The solution to this will be based on our understanding how this happens, how the product of three numbers turns out to be a positive number. With a little thought you should be able to figure out that this happens only if... \n" ); document.write( "All three numbers are positive or two of the numbers are negative and the other one positive. \n" ); document.write( "Now we just translate the above into inequalities and solve. Let's first deal with \"All three numbers are positive\". This translates into: \n" ); document.write( "(x-4) > 0 and (3x+1) > 0 and (x+1) > 0 \n" ); document.write( "Solving these we get: \n" ); document.write( "x > 4 and x > -1/3 and x > -1 \n" ); document.write( "We can \"condense\" these down to just \n" ); document.write( "x > 4 \n" ); document.write( "because if x > 4 then it would also be greater than -1/3 and -1. \n" ); document.write( "Now we deal with the \"two of the numbers are negative and the other one positive\" possibility. This is a bit involved because we don't know which two will be the negative ones. So we have to include all possibilities: \n" ); document.write( "((x-4) < 0 and (3x+1) < 0 and (x+1) > 0) or ((x-4) < 0 and (3x+1) > 0 and (x+1) < 0) or ((x-4) > 0 and (3x+1) < 0 and (x+1) < 0) \n" ); document.write( "Solving this we get: \n" ); document.write( "(x < 4 and x < -1/3 and x > -1) or (x < 4 and x > -1/3 and x < -1) or (x > 4 and x < -1/3 and x < -1) \n" ); document.write( "Let's look at this, piece by piece. First: \n" ); document.write( "(x < 4 and x < -1/3 and x > -1) \n" ); document.write( "The first two inequalities condense down to x < -1/3 because if this one is true then the other one would be, too. Now we're down to: \n" ); document.write( "(x < -1/3 and x > -1) \n" ); document.write( "Next: (x < 4 and x > -1/3 and x < -1) \n" ); document.write( "The first and last inequalities condense giving us: \n" ); document.write( "(x > -1/3 and x < -1) \n" ); document.write( "But this is impossible. x cannot be greater than -1/3 and less than -1 at the same time. So there is no solution to this part. \n" ); document.write( "Next: (x > 4 and x < -1/3 and x < -1) \n" ); document.write( "The last two inequalities condense: \n" ); document.write( "(x > 4 and x < -1) \n" ); document.write( "This is also impossible. A number cannot be greater than 4 and less than -1 at the same time. \n" ); document.write( "In summary, the solution to our problem is: \n" ); document.write( "All three numbers are positive or two of the numbers are negative and the other one positive. \n" ); document.write( "which translates into: \n" ); document.write( "((x-4) > 0 and (3x+1) > 0 and (x+1) > 0) or (((x-4) < 0 and (3x+1) < 0 and (x+1) > 0) or ((x-4) < 0 and (3x+1) > 0 and (x+1) < 0) or ((x-4) > 0 and (3x+1) < 0 and (x+1) < 0)) \n" ); document.write( "which solves to: \n" ); document.write( "x > 4 or (x > -1/3 and x < -1) \n" ); document.write( "In words, our solution is \"any number greater than 4 or any number between -1/3 and -1\". \n" ); document.write( " |