SAT Math: Setting Up Inequalities from Word Problems
26+ practice questions in Praczo
The concept, explained
- 1
Identify the constraint: "at least" → ≥, "at most" → ≤, "more than" → >, "fewer than" → <.
- 2
Set up the inequality the same way you would a linear equation, but use the correct inequality symbol.
- 3
The solution is a range of values — check the boundary case and values inside the range.
- 4
For two-variable inequalities, points in the shaded region satisfy the inequality; points on the boundary satisfy it if the line is solid (≤ or ≥).
- 5
Always re-read whether the answer should be the inequality itself or a specific value that satisfies it.
- ✗ Confusing "at least 10" (≥ 10) with "at most 10" (≤ 10) — these are opposite constraints.
- ✗ Solving the algebraic inequality correctly but then answering with the boundary value rather than a value in the valid range.
SAT-style practice
A car can carry at most 800 pounds. Each box weighs 25 pounds. Which inequality gives the maximum number of boxes n the car can carry?
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