Definition

Boundary Line of a Linear Inequality in Two Variables

The boundary line of a linear inequality in two variables is the straight line obtained by replacing the inequality symbol with an equals sign. For example, the boundary line of the inequality y>x+4y > x + 4 is the line y=x+4y = x + 4. This boundary line divides the coordinate plane into two distinct regions: all points on one side satisfy y<x+4y < x + 4, while all points on the other side satisfy y>x+4y > x + 4. This behavior mirrors what happens in one dimension—just as the single point x=3x = 3 splits a number line into numbers strictly less than 33 and numbers strictly greater than 33 (as visualized when graphing x>3x > 3), a boundary line splits the entire two-dimensional plane into two corresponding half-planes.

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Updated 2026-05-06

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