What about something like this?

number line showing x is less than 0 or x is greater than 3

If you have to be just ONE x guy, you either have to pick an x on the left side (in x < 0) OR an x on the right side (in x > 3).  Right?

So, we write it like this:

x < 0 or x > 3

All the guys we've been working with are called "inequalities" since they have the symbols <>less than or equal togreater than or equal to  instead of just  =  signs.

 

TRY ONE MORE:

Graph  x is less than or equal to -1 or x > 5  on a number line.