Line under Greater or Less Than Symbol

Date: 01/26/2001 at 16:06:15
From: Elizabeth Franczak
Subject: Line under greater or less than symbols

What does it mean when there is a line under the greater and less 
than symbol?

Date: 01/26/2001 at 16:53:27
From: Doctor Douglas
Subject: Re: Line under greater or less than symbols

Hi Elizabeth, and thanks for sending your question to Ask Dr. Math.

The lines means "or equal to," so that 

  1 + 3  <  5      is a true statement because 4 is less than or
         -         equal to 5  (in fact 4 is less than 5)


  2 + 3  <  5      is also a true statement because 5 is less than or
         -         equal to 5  (in fact 5 is equal to 5)

I hope that explains it.  If you need more help with this, please 
write back.

- Doctor Douglas, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/