1. californiagirl55

I haven't done many problems like this before, what part should I do first?

2. RoamingBlue

start by subtracting 5 from both sides so that you get the x by itself

3. californiagirl55

Ok so 4/5x < 2

4. RoamingBlue

actually, doing it that way is going to make it more complicated than it needs to be ... one moment

5. californiagirl55

ok :)

6. RoamingBlue

actually, that ended up being the quickest way ... but subtracting from both sides leaves you with 4/5x < -8

7. RoamingBlue

because -3 -5 = -8

8. californiagirl55

;P I always get mixed up with that even though I've gone over it a million times

9. RoamingBlue

ok, right now with the equation like it is (4/5x < -8) ... you know "one" of the answers is zero because, well just because ... I forget why I just know it's true so just trust me and someone else who's taken math in the past decade will chime in in a bit to tell you

10. californiagirl55

ok so what should you do next?

11. RoamingBlue

But, because they're tricky there's another answer too!

12. RoamingBlue

next, multiply both sides by 5x to get that 5x out of the denominator

13. californiagirl55

ok so it would be 4x < -40 right

14. RoamingBlue

4 = -40x

15. jiteshmeghwal9

$4 < -3(5x+5)$

16. RoamingBlue

because $\frac{ 4(5x) }{ 5x } = 4$ and $-8 (5x )= -40x$

17. qpHalcy0n

It's important to note, if this is (4/5)x + 5 < -3 or 4/(5x) + 5 < -3 These are not the same.

18. jiteshmeghwal9

$4<-15x-15$

19. jiteshmeghwal9

4+15<-15x

20. RoamingBlue

@californiagirl55 my last equation should have had 4 < -40x (with < not =)

21. jiteshmeghwal9

19<-15x

22. jiteshmeghwal9

19/-15<x

23. RoamingBlue

@qpHalcy0n has said the smartest thing in here thusfar ... I've been solving it as if the equation was $\frac{ 4 }{ 5x } + 5 < 3$ And, @jiteshmeghwal9 is obviously answering it as if the question was $\frac{ 4 }{5x + 5 } < 3$ which are completely different things

24. RoamingBlue

grrr except I left off the negatives on the threes

25. jiteshmeghwal9

so what is the right question @RoamingBlue ??????/

26. RoamingBlue

I have no idea *grins* wasn't my question to start with :D

27. RoamingBlue

But if you solve it going down the path I was on you end up with 4 < -40x then 4/-40 < x or -1/10 < x < 0 as the final solution