Chapter 6

Introduction

A linear function is any function that graphs to a straight line.

y  mx  c
(x,y)=(5,6)
This means that the function has either one or two variables, with no
exponents or powers.

Slope (m)

y2  y1
m
x2  x1

Exercise 6.1; finding the slope

(2,1) and (2,2)

a.
(x1 , y1 ) and (x2 , y2 )

y2  y1
m
x2  x1

2 1 1
  =-5/0=undefined
2  (2) 4
b. m=undefined

Exercise 6.2
Question a
(1, 7) and (9,0)
(x1 , y1 ) and (x2 , y2 )

y  mx  c
y2  y1
m
x2  x1

0  (7) 7
 
9 1 8

y  mx  c
(9,0)

7
0 (9)  c
8
63
c
8
7 63
y  x
8 8
Question b

1
m  1 and ( , 2)
2
( x1 , y1 )
y  mx  c
1
2  1( )  c
2
1
2   c
2
5
c
2
5
y  x 
2
Question c

1
m and (0, 0)
2
( x1 , y2 )
y  mx  c
1
y x
2
Question d

y  8x  4

Question e

y4
6.3 Parallel and perpendicular

Perpendicular M L1  M L 2  1

Parallel M L1  M L 2

Exercise 6.3

i) y  4 x  3, y  5  4x

Line 1: y  4 x  3
Line 2 : y  5  4 x
y  4x  5

Y=mx+c
Line 1
M L1  4
M L2  4

Parallel
ii) Answer: Perpendicular (if slope for L1 is 0 and slope for L2 is undefined, thus these two lines are
perpendicular, kindly see the graph below)

x23 y2
Line 1: x - 2  3
x5
Line 2 : y  2
M L1  undefined
M L2  0

Slope = 0

Undefined slope

iii) x  2 y  0, x  4 y - 4  0

Line 1: x  2 y  0
2 y  -x
1
y- x
2
Line 2 : x  4 y - 4  0
1
y   x 1
4
1
M L1  
2
1
M L2  
4
Neither parallel nor perpendicular

iv) y  x, y   x
Line 1: y  x
Line 2 : y   x
M L1  1
M L 2  1
M L1  M L 2  1

1 X -1 = -1
Perpendicular
vi) Parallel

6.4 Application
Correction: Example 6.1

Faculty of Management and Economics (FPE) has 2,546

students in 2006, and 2,702 students in 2008. Assume that
the enrolment follows a linear growth pattern. Let 𝑡=0
corresponds to year 2002, and (𝑡) represents the
enrolment in year 𝑡.
y=mx+c
y(t)=mt+c
2002 – t- 0 (x,y)
2003- 1 year
2004-2 year
2005-3 year
2006-4 year
(2006,2546) (2008,2702)
i)  4, 2546 and (6, 2702)
t=0, 2002
Then, if year 2006, t=4 years , if year 2008. t=6 years.

y2  y1
m
x2  x1

2702  2546 156

m   78
64 2

at  4, 2546 
y  mx  c
2546  78(4)  c
c  2234
y (t)  78t  2234

ii) Predict the enrolment in year 2019

2002 = 2019  17 years

y (17)  78(17)  2234

 3560
3560 number of students enrollment