The inequality representing the statement “y is at least 6” is given as

In mathematics, inequalities are utilized to express the relationship between two values when they are not necessarily equal. The phrase “y is at least 6” implies that the value of $y$ can be equal to 6 or any number larger than 6. To convey this relationship, we use the inequality symbol $\geq$, which denotes “greater than or equal to.”

When you encounter the expression

it indicates that $y$ can take on values such as 6, 7, 8, or any number exceeding 6. This differs from the inequality

which stipulates that $y$ must be strictly greater than 6 and cannot equal 6 itself. Inequalities play a crucial role in various domains of mathematics and are applicable in real-life scenarios, such as defining minimum requirements or setting constraints.

To visually represent this inequality on a number line, you would place a solid dot at 6 to signify that 6 is included in the solution set. Subsequently, you would shade the portion of the line extending to the right of 6 to indicate that all numbers greater than 6 are also included in the solution. This graphical representation effectively illustrates all possible values of $y$ that satisfy the inequality