$\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{x-1} < \frac{1}{2}$

Project ID: 
3000020028
Question: 

Four students, Eve, Paula, Jane, and Diana, solved the inequality: $$ \left(\frac12 \right)^{x-1}<\frac12 $$ Each of them started to solve it in her own way. Which of them proceeded correctly in simplifying the inequality?

Eve: $$ \begin{gather} 2^{-x+1}>2^{-1} \cr -x+1>-1 \end{gather} $$

Diana: $$ \begin{gather} \left(\frac12 \right)^{x-1}<\left(\frac12 \right)^1 \cr x-1<1 \end{gather} $$

Paula: $$ \begin{gather} \left(\frac12 \right)^{x-1}<\left(\frac12 \right)^1 \cr x-1>1 \end{gather} $$

Jane: $$ \begin{gather} \left(\frac12 \right)^x \cdot \left(\frac12 \right)^{-1}<\left(\frac12 \right) \cr \left (\frac12 \right)^x<0 \end{gather} $$

Answer 1: 

Paula

Answer 2: 

Eve

Answer 3: 

Diana

Answer 4: 

Jane

Answer 5: 

None of them

Correct Answer: 
Answer 1
Hint: 

Paula started to solve the inequality correctly.

Eve modified the base from $\frac12$ to $2$ and changed the inequality even though she should not have changed it.

Diana did not realize the change of inequality in the exponential inequality with the base between $0$ and $1$.

Jane made the mistake in converting the expression $\left(\frac12 \right)^{-1}$ to the right-hand side of the inequality. Correctly, the right-hand side should be $(\frac12 )^2$ instead of $0$.