Which of the following values of x satisfies the inequality 7... | SAT Linear inequalities in one or two variables Question, Answer Explained

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Math · AlgebraEasy

Which of the following values of $x$ satisfies the inequality $7 - 3x < -5$ ?

$2$

$3$

$4$

$5$

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Answer: D

Subtract $7$ from both sides: $-3x < -12$ . Dividing both sides by $-3$ reverses the inequality: $x > 4$ . Of the choices, only $5$ is greater than $4$ .

Choice C makes the two sides equal, since $7 - 3(4) = -5$ , but the inequality is strict, so $4$ isn't a solution.

Why the other choices are wrong

A. 7 - 3(2) = 1, which is not less than -5. The solution is x > 4.
B. 7 - 3(3) = -2, which is not less than -5. The solution is x > 4.
C. 7 - 3(4) = -5, and -5 is not less than -5. The inequality is strict.

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