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Both sides of an inequality are divided by a negative number. What happens to the sign?
AIt stays the same
BIt becomes an equals
CIt changes direction
DIt becomes undefined
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. It changes direction
1. An inequality states which of two expressions is the larger one.
2. If an inequality is multiplied or divided by a negative number, the inequality sign changes direction.
3. So a less than sign becomes a greater than sign, and the reverse also holds.
4. Leaving the sign unchanged is the most common error in this step.
_Source: Siyavula Mathematics Grade 11 (Everything Maths, CC BY 4.0), Chapter 2: Equations and inequalities_
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