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Linear or not: x 0, 2, 4, 6; y 1, 2, 5, 10

Step by step, with the reason for every step · Linear or not · Algebra 1

Step by step

The question

Question: is this table linear: x is 0, 2, 4, 6, and y is 1, 2, 5, 10?

x: 0, 2, 4, 6; y: 1, 2, 5, 10

Linear means: a straight line.

y changes by the same amount every time x goes up by 1.

linear = y changes by the same amount
for each 1 of x

We write it as a table.

1 Check the changes

From one y to the next: plus 1, then plus 3, then plus 5.

x goes up by 2.

So we divide each change of y by the change of x.

= each 1 of x: 12 = 0.5, 32 = 1.5, 52 = 2.5

The changes are not the same.

So it is not linear.

= not the same → not linear

Careful!

Going up every time is not enough.

A line changes by the same amount every time.

Careful: it goes up every time, but by different amounts

2 Check

Let's check on a graph.

We put in the points.

The line through the first two points misses the others: the points bend away.

So the answer is right!

Let's look back.

First: check the changes.

Last: check.

Answer
Careful: it goes up every time, but by different amounts

Your turn

Try this one yourself, then check:

Is this table linear: x: 0, 2, 4, 6; y: 6, 14, 38, 78
Show the answer
not linear

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