I learnt this trick while I was in school and yesterday while solving one question I recalled.
Its good if you guys use it 1-2 times to get used to it.

Suppose you have the inequality

\(f(x) = (x-a)(x-b)(x-c)(x-d) < 0\)

Just arrange them in order as shown in the picture and draw curve starting from + from right.

now if f(x) < 0 consider curve having "-" inside and if f(x) > 0 consider curve having "+" and combined solution will be the final solution. I m sure I have recalled it fully but if you guys find any issue on that do let me know, this is very helpful.

Don't forget to arrange then in ascending order from left to right. \(a<b<c<d\)

So for f(x) < 0 consider "-" curves and the ans is: \((a < x < b)\), \((c < x < d)\)
and for f(x) > 0 consider "+" curves and the ans is: \((x < a)\), \((b < x < c)\), \((d < x)\)

If f(x) has three factors then the graph will have - + - +
If f(x) has four factors then the graph will have + - + - +

If you can not figure out how and why, just remember it.
Try to analyze that the function will have number of roots = number of factors and every time the graph will touch the x axis.

For the highest factor d if x>d then the whole f(x) > 0 and after every interval of the roots the signs will change alternatively.




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WoW - This is a cool thread with so many thing on inequalities....I have compiled it together with some of my own ideas...It should help.

1) CORE CONCEPT
@gurpreetsingh -
Suppose you have the inequality

f(x) = (x-a)(x-b)(x-c)(x-d) < 0

Arrange the NUMBERS in ascending order from left to right. a<b<c<d
Draw curve starting from + from right.

now if f(x) < 0 consider curve having "-" inside and if f(x) > 0 consider curve having "+" and combined solution will be the final solution. I m sure I have recalled it fully but if you guys find any issue on that do let me know, this is very helpful.

So for f(x) < 0 consider "-" curves and the ans is : (a < x < b) , (c < x < d)
and for f(x) > 0 consider "+" curves and the ans is : (x < a), (b < x < c) , (d < x)

If f(x) has three factors then the graph will have - + - +
If f(x) has four factors then the graph will have + - + - +

If you can not figure out how and why, just remember it.
Try to analyze that the function will have number of roots = number of factors and every time the graph will touch the x axis.

For the highest factor d if x>d then the whole f(x) > 0 and after every interval of the roots the signs will change alternatively.

Note: Make sure that the factors are of the form (ax - b), not (b - ax)...

example -
(x+2)(x-1)(7 - x)<0

Convert this to: (x+2)(x-1)(x-7)>0 (Multiply both sides by '-1')
Now solve in the usual way. Assign '+' to the rightmost region and then alternate with '-'
Since you are looking for positive value of the expression, every region where you put a '+' will be the region where the expression will be greater than 0.

2) Variation - ODD/EVEN POWER
@ulm/Karishma -
if we have even powers like (x-a)^2(x-b)
we don't need to change a sign when jump over "a".
This will be same as (x-b)

We can ignore squares BUT SHOULD consider ODD powers
example -
2.a
(x-a)^3(x-b)<0 is the same as (x-a)(x-b) <0
2.b
(x - a)(x - b)/(x - c)(x - d) < 0 ==> (x - a)(x - b)(x-c)^-1(x-d)^-1 <0
is the same as (x - a)(x - b)(x - c)(x - d) < 0

3) Variation <= in FRACTION
@mrinal2100 -
if = sign is included with < then <= will be there in solution
like for (x+2)(x-1)(x-7)(x-4) <=0 the solution will be -2 <= x <= 1 or 4<= x <= 7

BUT if it is a fraction the denominator in the solution will not have = SIGN
example -
3.a
(x + 2)(x - 1)/(x -4)(x - 7) < =0
the solution will be -2 <= x <= 1 or 4< x < 7
we cant make 4<=x<=7 as it will make the solution infinite

4) Variation - ROOTS
@Karishma -
As for roots, you have to keep in mind that given \(\sqrt{x}\), x cannot be negative.

\(\sqrt{x}\) < 10
implies 0 < \(\sqrt{x}\) < 10
Squaring, 0 < x < 100
Root questions are specific. You have to be careful. If you have a particular question in mind, send it.

Refer - inequalities-and-roots-118619.html#p959939
Some more useful tips for ROOTS....I am too lazy to consolidate
<5> THESIS -
@gmat1220 -
Once algebra teacher told me - signs alternate between the roots. I said whatever and now I know why Watching this article is a stroll down the memory lane.

I will save this future references....
Please add anything that you feel will help.

Anyone wants to add ABSOLUTE VALUES....That will be a value add to this post
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Suppose you have the inequality

f(x) = (x-a)(x-b)(x-c)(x-d) < 0 you will consider the curve with -ve inside it.. check the attached image.


f(x) = (x-a)(x-b)(x-c)(x-d) > 0 consider the +ve of the curve
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I understand the concept but not the starting point of the graph.How you decide about the graph to be a sine or cosine waveform?Meaning graph starts from the +ve Y-axis for four values and starts from -ve Y-axis for three values.
What if the equation you mentioned is (x+2)(x-1)(x-7)<0,will the last two ranges be excluded or the graph will also change?

Ok, look at this expression inequality: (x+2)(x-1)(x-7) < 0
Can I say the left hand side expression will always be positive for values greater than 7? (x+2) will be positive, (x - 1) will be positive and (x-7) will also be positive... so in the rightmost regions i.e. x > 7, all three factors will be positive. The expression will be positive when x > 7, it will be negative when 1 < x < 7, positive when -2 , x < 1 and negative when x < -2. We need the region where the expression is less than 0 i.e. negative. So either 1 < x < 7 or x < -2.

Now let me add another factor: (x+8)(x+2)(x-1)(x-7)
Can I still say that the entire expression is positive in the rightmost region i.e. x>7 because each one of the four factors is positive? Yes.

So basically, your rightmost region is always positive. You go from there and assign + and - signs to the regions. Your starting point is the rightmost region.

Note: Make sure that the factors are of the form (ax - b), not (b - ax)...

e.g. (x+2)(x-1)(7 - x)<0

Convert this to: (x+2)(x-1)(x-7)>0 (Multiply both sides by '-1')
Now solve in the usual way. Assign '+' to the rightmost region and then alternate with '-'
Since you are looking for positive value of the expression, every region where you put a '+' will be the region where the expression will be greater than 0.
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When you have (x-a)^2(x-b) < 0, the squared term is ignored because it is always positive and hence doesn't affect the sign of the entire left side. For the left hand side to be negative i.e. < 0, (x - b) should be negative i.e. x - b < 0 or x < b.

Similarly for (x-a)^2(x-b) > 0, x > b

As for roots, you have to keep in mind that given \(\sqrt{x}\), x cannot be negative.

\(\sqrt{x}\) < 10
implies 0 < \(\sqrt{x}\) < 10
Squaring, 0 < x < 100
Root questions are specific. You have to be careful. If you have a particular question in mind, send it.
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Squared terms are ignored. You do not put them in the graph. They are always positive so they do not change the sign of the expression.
e.g. \((x-4)^2(x - 9)(x+11) < 0\)
We do not plot x = 4 here, only x = -11 and x = 9. We start with the rightmost section as positive. So it looks something like this:

positive... -11 ... negative ... 9 ... positive

Since we need the region where x is negative, we get -11 < x < 9.
Basically, the squared term is like a positive number in that it doesn't affect the sign of the expression.

I would be happy to solve inequalities questions related to roots but please put them in a separate post and pm the link to me. That way, everybody can try them.
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Please put questions in new posts. Put it in the same post only if it is totally related or a variation of the question that we are discussing.

Now for the solution:

There are 42 cars on the lot. 1/7 of sports cars and 1/2 of luxury cars have sunroofs. This means that 1/7 of number of sports cars and 1/2 of number of luxury cars should be integers (You cannot have 1.5 cars with sunroofs, right?)
We want to minimize the sunroofs. Since 1/2 of luxury cars have sunroofs and only 1/7 of sports cars have them, it will be good to have fewer luxury cars and more sports cars. Best would be to have all sports cars. But, the question says there are some of each kind at any time. So let's say there are 2 luxury cars (since 1/2 of them should be an integer value). But 1/7 of 40 (the rest of the cars are sports cars) is not an integer number. Let's instead look for the multiple of 7 that is less than 42. The multiple of 7 that is less than 42 is 35. So we could have 35 sports cars. But then, 1/2 of 7 (since 42 - 35 = 7 are luxury cars) is not an integer. The next smaller multiple of 7 is 28. This works. 1/2 of 14 (since 42 - 28 = 14 are luxury cars) is 7. So we can have 14 luxury cars and 28 sports cars. That is the maximum number of sports cars that we can have.
1/7 of 28 sports cars = 4 cars have sunroofs
1/2 of 14 luxury cars = 7 cars have sunroofs

So at least 11 cars will have sunroofs.
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x cannot be equal to 4 or 7 because if x = 4 or x = 7, the denominator will be 0 and the expression will not be defined.
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Thankyou Karishma.

Further, say if the same expression was (x+2)(1-x)/(x-4)(x-7) and still the question was for what values of x is the expression positive, then ... make it x-1 and with the same roots, have the rightmost as -ve. Then we look for the +ve intervals and check for those intervals if the expression is positive. for examples, in this case, -2<x<1 and 4<x<7 both depict positive interval but only first range satisfies the condition. Please confirm

However, if for the same equation as mentioned, say the expression was (x+2)(x-1)/(x-4)(x-7) >0 and then we were asked to give the range where this is valid, then we would also multiply the -ve sign and make is <0 and then make the range after extreme right root -ve and provide all the intervals where it is negative. Please confirm