1. Home
  2. Algebra and trigonometry
  3. Linear functions
  4. Linear functions

4.1 Linear functions  (Page 11/27)

<< Chapter < Page
  Algebra and trigonometry     Page 11 / 27
Chapter >> Page >
This graph shows the line y = 2 on an x.y coordinate plane. The x-axis runs from negative 5 to 5 and the y-axis runs from – 5 to 5. A horizontal line crosses through the point (0, 2). Underneath the graph is a table with two rows and six columns. The top row is labeled: “x” and has the values negative 4, negative 2, 0, 2, and 4. The bottom row is labeled “y” and has the values 2, 2, 2, 2, and 2.
A horizontal line representing the function   f ( x ) = 2

A vertical line    indicates a constant input, or x -value. We can see that the input value for every point on the line is 2, but the output value varies. Because this input value is mapped to more than one output value, a vertical line does not represent a function. Notice that between any two points, the change in the input values is zero. In the slope formula, the denominator will be zero, so the slope of a vertical line is undefined.

This is an image showing when a slope is undefined. m = change of output divided by the change of input. The change of output is labeled as: non-zero real number and the change of input is labeled 0.
Example of how a line has a vertical slope. 0 in the denominator of the slope.

A vertical line, such as the one in [link] , has an x -intercept, but no y- intercept unless it’s the line   x = 0.   This graph represents the line   x = 2.

This graph shows a vertical line passing through the point (2, 0) on an x, y coordinate plane. The x-axis runs from negative 5 to 5 and the y-axis runs from negative 5 to 5. Underneath the graph is a table with two rows and six columns. The top row is labeled: “x” and has the values 2, 2, 2, 2, and 2. The bottom row is labeled: “y” and has the values negative 4, negative 2, 0, 2, and 4.
The vertical line,   x = 2 ,   which does not represent a function

Horizontal and vertical lines

Lines can be horizontal or vertical.

A horizontal line    is a line defined by an equation in the form   f ( x ) = b .

A vertical line    is a line defined by an equation in the form   x = a .

Writing the equation of a horizontal line

Write the equation of the line graphed in [link] .

This graph shows the function y = negative 4 on an x, y coordinate plane. The x-axis runs from negative 10 to 10. The y-axis runs from negative 10 to 10. The horizontal line passes through the point, (0, -4).

For any x -value, the y -value is   − 4 ,   so the equation is   y = − 4.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Writing the equation of a vertical line

Write the equation of the line graphed in [link] .

This is a graph showing a line with an undefined slope on an x, y coordinate plane. The x-axis runs from negative 10 to 10 and the y-axis runs from -10 to 10. The line passes through the point (7, 0).

The constant x -value is   7 , so the equation is   x = 7.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Determining whether lines are parallel or perpendicular

The two lines in [link] are parallel lines    : they will never intersect. They have exactly the same steepness, which means their slopes are identical. The only difference between the two lines is the y -intercept. If we shifted one line vertically toward the other, they would become coincident.

This graph shows two lines on an x, y coordinate plane. The x-axis runs from negative 4 to 6. The y-axis runs from negative 3 to 8. The first line has the equation y = -3 times x divided by 2 plus 1. The second line has the equation y = -3 times x divided by 2 plus 7. The lines do not cross.
Parallel lines

We can determine from their equations whether two lines are parallel by comparing their slopes. If the slopes are the same and the y -intercepts are different, the lines are parallel. If the slopes are different, the lines are not parallel.

f ( x ) = − 2 x + 6 f ( x ) = − 2 x − 4 }  parallel f ( x ) = 3 x + 2 f ( x ) = 2 x + 2 }  not parallel

Unlike parallel lines, perpendicular lines    do intersect. Their intersection forms a right, or 90-degree, angle. The two lines in [link] are perpendicular.

This graph shows two functions perpendicular to each other on an x, y coordinate plane. The first function increases and passes through the points (1, 0) and (0, -5). The second function decreases and passes through the points (1, 0) and (-4, 1). The lines intersect to form a 90-degree right angle at the point (1, 0).
Perpendicular lines

Perpendicular lines do not have the same slope. The slopes of perpendicular lines are different from one another in a specific way. The slope of one line is the negative reciprocal of the slope of the other line. The product of a number and its reciprocal is   1.   So, if   m 1  and  m 2   are negative reciprocals of one another, they can be multiplied together to yield   –1.

m 1 m 2 = −1

To find the reciprocal of a number, divide 1 by the number. So the reciprocal of 8 is   1 8 ,   and the reciprocal of   1 8   is 8. To find the negative reciprocal, first find the reciprocal and then change the sign.

As with parallel lines, we can determine whether two lines are perpendicular by comparing their slopes, assuming that the lines are neither horizontal nor vertical. The slope of each line below is the negative reciprocal of the other so the lines are perpendicular.

f ( x ) = 1 4 x + 2 negative reciprocal of   1 4  is  −4 f ( x ) = −4 x + 3 negative reciprocal of   −4  is  1 4

The product of the slopes is –1.

Questions & Answers

A golfer on a fairway is 70 m away from the green, which sits below the level of the fairway by 20 m. If the golfer hits the ball at an angle of 40° with an initial speed of 20 m/s, how close to the green does she come?
Aislinn Reply
cm
tijani
what is titration
John Reply
what is physics
Siyaka Reply
A mouse of mass 200 g falls 100 m down a vertical mine shaft and lands at the bottom with a speed of 8.0 m/s. During its fall, how much work is done on the mouse by air resistance
Jude Reply
Can you compute that for me. Ty
Jude
what is the dimension formula of energy?
David Reply
what is viscosity?
David
what is inorganic
emma Reply
what is chemistry
Youesf Reply
what is inorganic
emma
Chemistry is a branch of science that deals with the study of matter,it composition,it structure and the changes it undergoes
Adjei
please, I'm a physics student and I need help in physics
Adjanou
chemistry could also be understood like the sexual attraction/repulsion of the male and female elements. the reaction varies depending on the energy differences of each given gender. + masculine -female.
Pedro
A ball is thrown straight up.it passes a 2.0m high window 7.50 m off the ground on it path up and takes 1.30 s to go past the window.what was the ball initial velocity
Krampah Reply
2. A sled plus passenger with total mass 50 kg is pulled 20 m across the snow (0.20) at constant velocity by a force directed 25° above the horizontal. Calculate (a) the work of the applied force, (b) the work of friction, and (c) the total work.
Sahid Reply
you have been hired as an espert witness in a court case involving an automobile accident. the accident involved car A of mass 1500kg which crashed into stationary car B of mass 1100kg. the driver of car A applied his brakes 15 m before he skidded and crashed into car B. after the collision, car A s
Samuel Reply
can someone explain to me, an ignorant high school student, why the trend of the graph doesn't follow the fact that the higher frequency a sound wave is, the more power it is, hence, making me think the phons output would follow this general trend?
Joseph Reply
Nevermind i just realied that the graph is the phons output for a person with normal hearing and not just the phons output of the sound waves power, I should read the entire thing next time
Joseph
Follow up question, does anyone know where I can find a graph that accuretly depicts the actual relative "power" output of sound over its frequency instead of just humans hearing
Joseph
"Generation of electrical energy from sound energy | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore" ***ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7150687?reload=true
Ryan
what's motion
Maurice Reply
what are the types of wave
Maurice
answer
Magreth
progressive wave
Magreth
hello friend how are you
Muhammad Reply
fine, how about you?
Mohammed
hi
Mujahid
A string is 3.00 m long with a mass of 5.00 g. The string is held taut with a tension of 500.00 N applied to the string. A pulse is sent down the string. How long does it take the pulse to travel the 3.00 m of the string?
yasuo Reply
Who can show me the full solution in this problem?
Reofrir Reply
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply
<< Chapter < Page Page > Chapter >>
Practice Key Terms 10

Read also:

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Algebra and trigonometry. OpenStax CNX. Nov 14, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11758/1.6
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Algebra and trigonometry' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask