Question

Two-fifths of one less than a number is less than three-fifths of one more than that number. What numbers are in the solution set of this problem?
A) x < -5
B) x > -5
C) x > -1
D) x < -1

Answer 1

If you would like to know what numbers are in the solution set of this problem, you can calculate this using the following steps:

the number ... n 

2/5 * (n - 1) < 3/5 * (n + 1)
2/5 * n - 2/5 < 3/5 * n + 3/5
- 2/5 - 3/5 < 3/5 * n - 2/5 * n
- 5/5 < 1/5 * n
- 1 < 1/5 * n      /*5
- 5 < n
n > - 5

n = x

The correct result would be B) x > - 5.