The notion of inequality refers to the lack of equality . Two things, therefore, are unequal when they are not equal : that is, when they are dissimilar, asymmetrical or different.
The concept is used in multiple areas. In the field of mathematics , inequality refers to the order relationship established between values that are different. This means that one value may be greater or less than another, but not identical; If both were equal, then we would speak of equality .
The concept of order relation , for its part, is also known as order in R , and it is a binary relation that pursues the order of sets through the distribution of their elements. When the values of an inequality are elements that belong to an ordered set, such as real numbers or integers, it is possible to compare them with each other. In this way, the doors are opened to notations such as the following:
* a b, que se define como una relación en la cual el primer elemento es menor que el segundo;
* a > b, which gives us to understand that the first element is greater than the second.
These two examples belong to the group of strict inequalities , all those in which the first element cannot be equal to the second; In both cases, we can read the notations as "strictly less than/greater than." On the other hand, we have broad inequalities (also known as non-strict ones ), which are used very frequently in the field of computer programming; They are represented with the following two notations : a ≤ b and a ≥ b , which serve to say that the first element is "less than or equal to" or "greater than or equal to" the second, respectively.
The possibilities that inequality offers us to compare elements do not end here, since we also have the sign ≪ and its opposite, ≫ , which allow us to speak of elements "much smaller than" or "much larger than" others, respectively. This type of relationship usually indicates a considerable difference , in which there are several orders of magnitude , that is, "several zeros" between one number and another.
If we simply want to say that one element is not equal to another , we can use the ≠ sign, to give rise to a notation like a ≠ b . In this case, it is not clear if one is greater than the other, since we do not know if it is possible to compare them .
The idea of social inequality , for its part, is linked to what happens when people live in conditions or situations that are dissimilar . In these cases there is discrimination, which can be negative or positive according to the detriment or benefit of the individual in question.
We can speak of income inequality when the distribution of income from work and capital is not distributed equitably. If workers living in the north of a given country have an average salary of 5,000 currency units , while those living in the south earn an average of 3,800 currency units , there is income inequality in favor of those who live in the country. in the northern region.
Social inequality is a broader idea that usually encompasses different factors: access to education , health services, well-paid jobs, etc. There are people who, due to their place of birth, find it very difficult to progress materially since they were not educated, had to work from an early age and live in precarious homes. Others, however, have advantages due to their family origins (quality education, comforts for studying and living, contacts in the world of work, etc.). There is, therefore, a marked social inequality that conditions existence.