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A special class of general inequalities has been identified that provides the opportunity for generating new knowledge that can be used for optimising systems and processes in diverse areas of science and technology. It is demonstrated that inequalities belonging to this class can always be interpreted meaningfully if the variables and separate terms of the inequalities represent additive quantities. The meaningful interpretation of a new algebraic inequality based on the proposed general class of inequalities led to developing a light-weight design for a supporting structure based on cantilever beams, reducing the maximum force upon impact, generating new knowledge about the deflection of elastic elements connected in parallel and series and optimising the allocation of resources to maximise expected benefit. The interpretation of the new inequality yielded that the deflection of elastic elements connected in parallel is at least n 2 times smaller than the deflection of the same elastic elements connected in series, irrespective of the individual stiffness values of the elastic elements. The interpretation of another algebraic inequality from the proposed general class led to a method for decreasing the stiffness of a mechanical assembly by cyclic permutation of the elastic elements building the assembly. The analysis showed that a decrease of stiffness exists only if asymmetry of the stiffness values in the connected elements is present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]