What is the difference...

Question

between linear functions and just regular functions? =]

Answer 1

Linear functions have to do with equations with variables, a constant, and with a slope.

Y = mx + b

m is your slope

x is your variable

y is your answer

b is your constant

the slope is the rate of change. X is your input, and b is always your intial value

what this means is that every time you put in a new value for X. the answer will come out according to your constant and slope.

Take this equation for example

Y = 3X + 7

Y will equal to what you put in for X times 3 plus 7

so when you put 1 for X it will equal to (1 x 3) = 3 then add 7 which will equal to 10

Notice how we are using X and Y

this means that we can put this in a graph. So when you put in the 1 for our previous equation then the answer comes out at ten

so what you would put in a graph is this (1,10) X is 1 and Y is 10

This is the main reason why the linear equations are called linear equations.

When you graph them, you will see that the graph will come out as a straight line.

the slope affects how steep this straight line will be and the constant affects where the line will start.

Answer 2

A linear function is a function in the form of a straight line. Just regular functions can be any form of straight line and/or curves