Linear from an equation
The question
y = 10x² + 37
Linear or nonlinear?
y = 10x² + 37
y = 10x² + 37
y = 10x² + 37
Linear or nonlinear?Nonlinear
- Linear means the graph is a straight line. If x is only multiplied by a number and added to, it is a line.
- Look at what x is carrying: it is squared. Going from x = 1 to 2 to 3 gives 1, 4, 9, and those gaps are 3 then 5.
- So equal steps in x do not give equal steps in y: x is squared, so the steps in y grow as x grows. The graph curves, so it is not a line.
How it works.
- 01
Linear means the graph is a straight line. If x is only multiplied by a number and added to, it is a line.
- 02
Look at what x is carrying: it is squared. Going from x = 1 to 2 to 3 gives 1, 4, 9, and those gaps are 3 then 5.
- 03
So equal steps in x do not give equal steps in y: x is squared, so the steps in y grow as x grows. The graph curves, so it is not a line.