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Solve the inequality \(\displaystyle \frac{5}{x^{2} - 4}<\frac{4}{x^{2} - 6 x - 16}\)


Getting zero on one side and factoring gives \(\displaystyle \frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} - \frac{4}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x + 2\right)}< 0\). This gives the least common denominator as \(\displaystyle \left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)\). Building each fraction to get the common denominator gives \(\displaystyle \frac{5 x - 40 - (4 x - 8)}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} < 0\). Simplifying gives \(\displaystyle \frac{x - 32}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)}<0\). The inequality can change signs at the zeros of the numerator, \(\displaystyle \left\{32\right\}\), or the zeros of the denominator \(\displaystyle \left\{-2, 2, 8\right\}\). Making a sign chart gives: This gives the solution \(\displaystyle \left(-2, 2\right) \cup \left(8, 32\right)\)

Download \(\LaTeX\)

\begin{question}Solve the inequality $\frac{5}{x^{2} - 4}<\frac{4}{x^{2} - 6 x - 16}$
    \soln{9cm}{Getting zero on one side and factoring gives $\frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} - \frac{4}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x + 2\right)}< 0$. This gives the least common denominator as $\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)$. Building each fraction to get the common denominator gives $\frac{5 x - 40 - (4 x - 8)}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} < 0$. Simplifying gives $\frac{x - 32}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)}<0$. The inequality can change signs at the zeros of the numerator, $\left\{32\right\}$, or the zeros of the denominator $\left\{-2, 2, 8\right\}$. Making a sign chart gives: \begin{tikzpicture}
	 \draw[latex-latex, thick] (-3, 0) -- (7, 0);
	 \draw(-1, 0.2) -- (-1, -0.2);
		\draw (-1,-0.2) node[below]{$-2$};
		\draw (-2,.2) node[above]{$+$};
	 \draw(1, 0.2) -- (1, -0.2);
		\draw (1,-0.2) node[below]{$2$};
		\draw (0,.2) node[above]{$-$};
	 \draw(3, 0.2) -- (3, -0.2);
		\draw (3,-0.2) node[below]{$8$};
		\draw (2,.2) node[above]{$+$};
	 \draw(5, 0.2) -- (5, -0.2);
		\draw (5,-0.2) node[below]{$32$};
		\draw (6,.2) node[above]{$+$};
		\draw (4,.2) node[above]{$-$};
\end{tikzpicture}
This gives the solution  $\left(-2, 2\right) \cup \left(8, 32\right)$}

\end{question}

Download Question and Solution Environment\(\LaTeX\)
\documentclass{article}
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\begin{document}\begin{question}(10pts) The question goes here!
    \soln{9cm}{The solution goes here.}

\end{question}\end{document}
HTML for Canvas
<p> <p>Solve the inequality  <img class="equation_image" title=" \displaystyle \frac{5}{x^{2} - 4}<\frac{4}{x^{2} - 6 x - 16} " src="/equation_images/%20%5Cdisplaystyle%20%5Cfrac%7B5%7D%7Bx%5E%7B2%7D%20-%204%7D%3C%5Cfrac%7B4%7D%7Bx%5E%7B2%7D%20-%206%20x%20-%2016%7D%20" alt="LaTeX:  \displaystyle \frac{5}{x^{2} - 4}<\frac{4}{x^{2} - 6 x - 16} " data-equation-content=" \displaystyle \frac{5}{x^{2} - 4}<\frac{4}{x^{2} - 6 x - 16} " /> </p> </p>
HTML for Canvas
<p> <p>Getting zero on one side and factoring gives  <img class="equation_image" title=" \displaystyle \frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} - \frac{4}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x + 2\right)}< 0 " src="/equation_images/%20%5Cdisplaystyle%20%5Cfrac%7B5%7D%7B%5Cleft%28x%20-%202%5Cright%29%20%5Cleft%28x%20%2B%202%5Cright%29%7D%20-%20%5Cfrac%7B4%7D%7B%5Cleft%28x%20-%208%5Cright%29%20%5Cleft%28x%20%2B%202%5Cright%29%7D%3C%200%20" alt="LaTeX:  \displaystyle \frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} - \frac{4}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x + 2\right)}< 0 " data-equation-content=" \displaystyle \frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} - \frac{4}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x + 2\right)}< 0 " /> . This gives the least common denominator as  <img class="equation_image" title=" \displaystyle \left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right) " src="/equation_images/%20%5Cdisplaystyle%20%5Cleft%28x%20-%208%5Cright%29%20%5Cleft%28x%20-%202%5Cright%29%20%5Cleft%28x%20%2B%202%5Cright%29%20" alt="LaTeX:  \displaystyle \left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right) " data-equation-content=" \displaystyle \left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right) " /> . Building each fraction to get the common denominator gives  <img class="equation_image" title=" \displaystyle \frac{5 x - 40 - (4 x - 8)}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} < 0 " src="/equation_images/%20%5Cdisplaystyle%20%5Cfrac%7B5%20x%20-%2040%20-%20%284%20x%20-%208%29%7D%7B%5Cleft%28x%20-%208%5Cright%29%20%5Cleft%28x%20-%202%5Cright%29%20%5Cleft%28x%20%2B%202%5Cright%29%7D%20%3C%200%20" alt="LaTeX:  \displaystyle \frac{5 x - 40 - (4 x - 8)}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} < 0 " data-equation-content=" \displaystyle \frac{5 x - 40 - (4 x - 8)}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)} < 0 " /> . Simplifying gives  <img class="equation_image" title=" \displaystyle \frac{x - 32}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)}<0 " src="/equation_images/%20%5Cdisplaystyle%20%5Cfrac%7Bx%20-%2032%7D%7B%5Cleft%28x%20-%208%5Cright%29%20%5Cleft%28x%20-%202%5Cright%29%20%5Cleft%28x%20%2B%202%5Cright%29%7D%3C0%20" alt="LaTeX:  \displaystyle \frac{x - 32}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)}<0 " data-equation-content=" \displaystyle \frac{x - 32}{\left(x - 8\right) \left(x - 2\right) \left(x + 2\right)}<0 " /> . The inequality can change signs at the zeros of the numerator,  <img class="equation_image" title=" \displaystyle \left\{32\right\} " src="/equation_images/%20%5Cdisplaystyle%20%5Cleft%5C%7B32%5Cright%5C%7D%20" alt="LaTeX:  \displaystyle \left\{32\right\} " data-equation-content=" \displaystyle \left\{32\right\} " /> , or the zeros of the denominator  <img class="equation_image" title=" \displaystyle \left\{-2, 2, 8\right\} " src="/equation_images/%20%5Cdisplaystyle%20%5Cleft%5C%7B-2%2C%202%2C%208%5Cright%5C%7D%20" alt="LaTeX:  \displaystyle \left\{-2, 2, 8\right\} " data-equation-content=" \displaystyle \left\{-2, 2, 8\right\} " /> . Making a sign chart gives: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
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This gives the solution   <img class="equation_image" title=" \displaystyle \left(-2, 2\right) \cup \left(8, 32\right) " src="/equation_images/%20%5Cdisplaystyle%20%5Cleft%28-2%2C%202%5Cright%29%20%5Ccup%20%5Cleft%288%2C%2032%5Cright%29%20" alt="LaTeX:  \displaystyle \left(-2, 2\right) \cup \left(8, 32\right) " data-equation-content=" \displaystyle \left(-2, 2\right) \cup \left(8, 32\right) " /> </p> </p>