Linear inequalities in two variables

Why we need it?

A farm co-op has 6000 acres
available to plant with corn and
soybeans. Each acre of corn
requires 9 gallons of
fertilizer/herbicide and 3/4 hour of
labour to harvest.

Each acre of soybeans requires 3 gallons of fertilizer/herbicide and 1 hour of labour to

harvest. The co-op has available at most 40,500 gallons of fertilizer/herbicide and at
most 5250 hours of labour for harvesting. The number of acres of each crop is limited
(constrained) by the available resources: land, fertilizer/herbicide, and labour for
harvesting. Find the possible number of acres of corn and of soybeans that the co-op
could plant, treat with fertilizer/herbicide, and harvest. To investigate such type of
situation we study linear inequalities which are addressed in applications.
Linear inequality in two variables
Generally a linear inequality in two variables 𝑥 and 𝑦 can be one of the following
forms:
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 < 𝑐 ; 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 > 𝑐 ; 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 ≥ 𝑐 ; 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 ≤ 𝑐
where a, b, c are constants and a, b are not both zero.
For example 2𝑥 + 5𝑦 > 3, ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎 = 2, 𝑏 = 5, 𝑐 = 3.

Graphing of A Linear Inequality in Two Variables

We know that the graph of linear equation of the form
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 = 𝑐 is a line which divides the plane into two disjoint regions as stated
below:
(1) The set of ordered pairs (x, y) such that 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 < 𝑐
(2) The set of ordered pairs (x, y) such that 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 > 𝑐
The regions (1) and (2) are called half planes and the line
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 = 𝑐 is called the boundary of each half plane.
Note that a vertical line divides the plane into left and right half planes while a non-
vertical line divides the plane into upper and lower half planes.
A solution of a linear inequality in 𝑥 and 𝑦 is an ordered pair of numbers which
satisfies the inequality.
For example, the ordered pair (1, 1) is a solution of the inequality 𝑥 + 2𝑦 < 6 because
1 + 2(1) = 3 < 6 which is true.
There are infinitely many ordered pairs that satisfy the inequality 𝑥 + 2𝑦 < 6, so its
graph will be a half plane.
Note that the linear equation 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 = 𝑐 is called “associated or corresponding
equation” of each of the above mentioned inequalities.

Procedure for Graphing a linear Inequality in two Variables

(i) The corresponding equation of the inequality is first graphed by using ‘dashes’ if the
inequality involves the symbols > or < and a solid line is drawn if the inequality involves
the symbols ≥ or ≤
(ii) A test point (not on the graph of the corresponding equation) is chosen which
determines that the half plane is on which side of the boundary line.
Example1.
Graph the inequality 𝑥 + 2𝑦 < 6.
Solution. The associated equation of the inequality
𝑥 + 2𝑦 < 6 (𝑖)
is
𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 6 (𝑖𝑖)
The line (𝑖𝑖) intersects the 𝒙 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔 and 𝒚 − 𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒔 at (6, 0) and (0. 3) respectively. As no
point of the line (𝑖𝑖) is a solution of the inequality (𝑖), so the graph of the line (𝑖𝑖) is
shown by using dashes. We take 𝑂(0, 0) as a test point because it is not on the line (𝑖𝑖).

Substituting 𝑥 = 0, 𝑦 = 0 in the expression 𝑥 +

2𝑦 gives
0 − 2(0) = 0 < 6, so the point (0, 0) satisfies the
inequality (i).
Any other point below the line (ii) satisfies the
inequality (i), that is all points in the half plane
containing
the point (0, 0) satisfy the inequality (i).
Thus the graph of the solution set of inequality (i) is
the a
region on the origin-side of the line (ii), that is, the
region
below the line (ii). A portion of the open half plane
below
the line (ii) is shown as shaded region in figure
All points above the dashed line satisfy the
inequality 𝑥 + 2𝑦 > 6 (𝑖𝑖𝑖)
 Exercise(Home task)

Note. Graphing a linear inequality in two variables by

demos is fully explained on projector during class.
 Graphical solution of a system of inequalities.
The graph of a system of inequalities consists of the set of all ordered pairs (𝑥, 𝑦) in the
𝒙𝒚 − 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆 which simultaneously satisfy all the inequalities in the system. Find the
graph of such a system, we draw the graph of each inequality in the system on the same
coordinate axes and then take intersection of all the graphs. The common region so
obtained is called the solution region for the system of inequalities.
Example3.
DEFINITION:
A point of a solution region where two of its boundary lines intersect, is called
a corner point or vertex of the solution region.
Such points play a useful role while solving linear programming problems. In
example
3, the corner point is (𝟐, 𝟏) obtained by corresponding equations (of linear
inequalities given in the example 3) in pairs.
Concept Check
Indicate the solution set of the following systems of linear inequalities
by shading: Also find out the corner point or vertex in each.
𝑖 2𝑥 − 3𝑦 ≤ 6 𝑖𝑖 𝑥 + 𝑦 ≥ 5 𝑖𝑖𝑖 3𝑥 + 7𝑦 ≥ 2
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 ≤ 12 −𝑦 + 𝑥 ≤1 𝑥 − 𝑦≤7

(𝑖𝑣) 4𝑥 − 3𝑦 ≤ 12 (𝑣) 3𝑥 + 7𝑦 ≥ 21
3
𝑥≥− 𝑦≤4
2
PROBLEM CONSTRAINTS
In the beginning we described that linear inequalities prescribe limitations and
restrictions on allocation of available sources. While tackling a certain problem from every
day life each linear inequality concerning the problem is named as problem constraint.
The system of linear inequalities involved in the problem concerned are called problem
constraints. The variables used in the system of linear inequalities relating to the problems
of every day life are non-negative and are called non-negative constraints. These
nonnegative constraints play an important role for taking decision. So these variables are
called decision variables.

Feasible solution set:

We see that solution region of the inequalities in example 3 is not within the first quadrant.
If the nonnegative constraints 𝒙 ≥ 𝟎 and 𝒚 ≥ 𝟎 are included with the system of
inequalities, then the solution region is restricted to the first quadrant. Such a region
(which is restricted to the first quadrant) is referred to as a feasible region for the set
of given constraints. Each point of the feasible region is called a feasible solution of the
system of linear inequalities (or for the set of a given constraints). A set consisting of all the
feasible solutions of the system of linear inequalities is called a feasible solution set.
Example4.
Concept Check
 Applications of system of linear inequalities
Example5.
A farm co-op has 𝟔𝟎𝟎𝟎 acres available to plant with corn and soybeans Each acre of corn
requires 9 gallons of fertilizer/herbicide and 𝟑/𝟒 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓 of labour to harvest. Each acre of
soybeans requires 3 gallons of fertilizer/herbicide and 1 hour of labour to harvest. The co-
op has available at most 40,500 gallons of fertilizer/herbicide and at most 5250 hours of
labour for harvesting. The number of acres of each crop is limited (constrained) by the
available resources: land, fertilizer/herbicide, and labor for harvesting. Write the system of
inequalities that describes the constraints and graph the solution region for the system.
Application in Nutrition
Application in Manufacturing
CDF Appliances has assembly plants in Atlanta and Fort Worth, where the
company produces a variety of kitchen appliances, including a 12-cup coffee
maker and a cappuccino machine. At the Atlanta plant, 160 of the coffee
makers and 200 of the cappuccino machines can be assembled each hour. At
the Fort Worth plant, 800 of the coffee makers and 200 of the cappuccino
machines can be assembled each hour.
CDF Appliances expects orders for at least 64,000 of the coffee makers and at
least 40,000 of the cappuccino machines. At each plant, the number of
assembly hours available for these two appliances is constrained by each plant’s
capacity and the need to fill the orders. Write the system of inequalities that
describes these assembly plant constraints, and graph the solution region for
the system.
Solution:
Let 𝒙 be the number of assembly hours at the Atlanta plant, and let 𝒚 be the
number of Assembly hours at the Fort Worth plant. The production capabilities
of each facility and the anticipated orders are summarized in the following
table.
Any point in the shaded region of Figure given below represents a possible number
of assembly hours at each plant that would fill the orders.