What does inequality mean?
Word: Inequality
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Inequality means an unfair difference between people or groups in wealth, rights or chances; in maths, a statement that two amounts are not equal.
Synonyms: imbalance, unfairness, unevenness
Antonyms: equality, fairness, parity
How do you spell inequality?
Syllables: in - e - qual - i - ty
Tricky part: The noun takes in-, though the adjective is unequal, and there is only one l before -ity.
Watch out for: inequallity, unequality, inequalty
Memory tip: Ability, reality and inequality all end in -lity with one l; none of them doubles it.
Inequality in a sentence
Example 1: The report shows a wide inequality between village schools and city schools.
Example 2: Martin Luther King Jr spoke out against the inequality of laws that kept people apart by race.
Example 3: In maths class we solved the inequality x + 3 < 10.
Fun Fact
In maths, an inequality is written with signs such as < (less than) and > (greater than); the two signs were first used by the English mathematician Thomas Harriot.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
in_qu_lity
a) e, e
b) i, a
c) a, a
d) e, a
Show answer
d) e, a. Inside the word is equal, which starts with e and has an a after the qu.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word inequality as used in the sentence:
Many people in the town are angry about the inequality in wages paid to men and women for the same work.
a) kindness
b) friendship
c) distance
d) disparity
Show answer
d) disparity. Disparity means a clear difference, which is what unequal wages show; distance is only about space.
Mingle-Mangle
Unscramble the jumbled word in the sentence and choose it:
The class discussion was about the iieatnluqy between children who own tablets and those who have none.
a) inequity
b) inequality
c) equality
d) iniquity
Show answer
b) inequality. Inequity and iniquity are two letters short, and equality has no n; only inequality uses every letter.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. inequality 2. poverity 3. oppertunity 4. sociaty
a) a chance to do something good
b) an unfair gap between groups of people
c) people living together in one community
d) the state of being very poor
Show answer
b) an unfair gap between groups of people. Poverity has an extra i, oppertunity has an e where an o belongs, and sociaty has an a in place of an e.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which situation shows inequality?
a) every child getting the same lunch
b) each class having one monitor
c) all players wearing the same kit
d) some children getting no books at all
Show answer
d) some children getting no books at all
2. Pick the maths inequality.
a) 7 + 1 = 8
b) 16 - 8 = 8
c) 4 x 2 = 8
d) 7 + 2 > 8
Show answer
d) 7 + 2 > 8
