How does one compare expressions within an inequality?

When comparing expressions within an inequality, relational operators such as greater than and less than are essential tools. These operators allow us to establish a relationship between two expressions. For example, when assessing whether one expression is greater than another or if one is less than another, we use these relational operators to compare their values directly.

Utilizing relational operators involves not only the direct comparison of the two expressions as they are presented but also understanding their behavior across different values. This direct comparison provides a clear answer to the inequality based on the defined relationships between the expressions.

Other methods, such as finding the largest number in each expression or determining if they are equivalent, do not adequately address the complex nature of inequalities, which require understanding how expressions interact rather than merely evaluating them as static entities. Simplification, while beneficial in certain situations, is typically a step that may lead to clarity but does not itself constitute a method for comparing inequalities. The foundational approach rests on the use of relational operators to establish the correct comparison between the two expressions.