# 2.1 Linear functions  (Page 7/17)

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If $f\left(x\right)$ is a linear function, with $f\left(2\right)=–11,$ and $f\left(4\right)=-25,$ find an equation for the function in slope-intercept form.

$y=-7x+3$

## Modeling real-world problems with linear functions

In the real world, problems are not always explicitly stated in terms of a function or represented with a graph. Fortunately, we can analyze the problem by first representing it as a linear function and then interpreting the components of the function. As long as we know, or can figure out, the initial value and the rate of change of a linear function, we can solve many different kinds of real-world problems.

Given a linear function $f$ and the initial value and rate of change, evaluate $f\left(c\right).$

1. Determine the initial value and the rate of change (slope).
2. Substitute the values into $f\left(x\right)=mx+b.$
3. Evaluate the function at $x=c.$

## Using a linear function to determine the number of songs in a music collection

Marcus currently has 200 songs in his music collection. Every month, he adds 15 new songs. Write a formula for the number of songs, $N,$ in his collection as a function of time, $t,$ the number of months. How many songs will he own in a year?

The initial value for this function is 200 because he currently owns 200 songs, so $N\left(0\right)=200,$ which means that $b=200.$

The number of songs increases by 15 songs per month, so the rate of change is 15 songs per month. Therefore we know that $m=15.$ We can substitute the initial value and the rate of change into the slope-intercept form of a line.

We can write the formula $N\left(t\right)=15t+200.$

With this formula, we can then predict how many songs Marcus will have in 1 year (12 months). In other words, we can evaluate the function at $t=12.$

Marcus will have 380 songs in 12 months.

## Using a linear function to calculate salary plus commission

Working as an insurance salesperson, Ilya earns a base salary plus a commission on each new policy. Therefore, Ilya’s weekly income, $I,$ depends on the number of new policies, $n,$ he sells during the week. Last week he sold 3 new policies, and earned $760 for the week. The week before, he sold 5 new policies and earned$920. Find an equation for $I\left(n\right),$ and interpret the meaning of the components of the equation.

The given information gives us two input-output pairs: $\left(3,760\right)$ and $\left(5,920\right).$ We start by finding the rate of change.

Keeping track of units can help us interpret this quantity. Income increased by $160 when the number of policies increased by 2, so the rate of change is$80 per policy. Therefore, Ilya earns a commission of $80 for each policy sold during the week. We can then solve for the initial value. The value of $b$ is the starting value for the function and represents Ilya’s income when $n=0,$ or when no new policies are sold. We can interpret this as Ilya’s base salary for the week, which does not depend upon the number of policies sold. We can now write the final equation. $I\left(n\right)=80n+520$ Our final interpretation is that Ilya’s base salary is$520 per week and he earns an additional $80 commission for each policy sold. #### Questions & Answers So a horizontal compression by factor of 1/2 is the same as a horizontal stretch by a factor of 2, right? KARMEL Reply The center is at (3,4) a focus is at (3,-1), and the lenght of the major axis is 26 Rima Reply The center is at (3,4) a focus is at (3,-1) and the lenght of the major axis is 26 what will be the answer? Rima I done know Joe What kind of answer is that😑? Rima I had just woken up when i got this message Joe Can you please help me. Tomorrow is the deadline of my assignment then I don't know how to solve that Rima i have a question. Abdul how do you find the real and complex roots of a polynomial? Abdul @abdul with delta maybe which is b(square)-4ac=result then the 1st root -b-radical delta over 2a and the 2nd root -b+radical delta over 2a. I am not sure if this was your question but check it up Nare This is the actual question: Find all roots(real and complex) of the polynomial f(x)=6x^3 + x^2 - 4x + 1 Abdul @Nare please let me know if you can solve it. Abdul I have a question juweeriya hello guys I'm new here? will you happy with me mustapha The average annual population increase of a pack of wolves is 25. Brittany Reply how do you find the period of a sine graph Imani Reply Period =2π if there is a coefficient (b), just divide the coefficient by 2π to get the new period Am if not then how would I find it from a graph Imani by looking at the graph, find the distance between two consecutive maximum points (the highest points of the wave). so if the top of one wave is at point A (1,2) and the next top of the wave is at point B (6,2), then the period is 5, the difference of the x-coordinates. Am you could also do it with two consecutive minimum points or x-intercepts Am I will try that thank u Imani Case of Equilateral Hyperbola Jhon Reply ok Zander ok Shella f(x)=4x+2, find f(3) Benetta f(3)=4(3)+2 f(3)=14 lamoussa 14 Vedant pre calc teacher: "Plug in Plug in...smell's good" f(x)=14 Devante 8x=40 Chris Explain why log a x is not defined for a < 0 Baptiste Reply the sum of any two linear polynomial is what Esther Reply divide simplify each answer 3/2÷5/4 Momo Reply divide simplify each answer 25/3÷5/12 Momo how can are find the domain and range of a relations austin Reply the range is twice of the natural number which is the domain Morolake A cell phone company offers two plans for minutes. Plan A:$15 per month and $2 for every 300 texts. Plan B:$25 per month and $0.50 for every 100 texts. How many texts would you need to send per month for plan B to save you money? Diddy Reply 6000 Robert more than 6000 Robert For Plan A to reach$27/month to surpass Plan B's $26.50 monthly payment, you'll need 3,000 texts which will cost an additional$10.00. So, for the amount of texts you need to send would need to range between 1-100 texts for the 100th increment, times that by 3 for the additional amount of texts...
Gilbert
...for one text payment for 300 for Plan A. So, that means Plan A; in my opinion is for people with text messaging abilities that their fingers burn the monitor for the cell phone. While Plan B would be for loners that doesn't need their fingers to due the talking; but those texts mean more then...
Gilbert
can I see the picture
How would you find if a radical function is one to one?
how to understand calculus?
with doing calculus
SLIMANE
Thanks po.
Jenica
Hey I am new to precalculus, and wanted clarification please on what sine is as I am floored by the terms in this app? I don't mean to sound stupid but I have only completed up to college algebra.
I don't know if you are looking for a deeper answer or not, but the sine of an angle in a right triangle is the length of the opposite side to the angle in question divided by the length of the hypotenuse of said triangle.
Marco
can you give me sir tips to quickly understand precalculus. Im new too in that topic. Thanks
Jenica
if you remember sine, cosine, and tangent from geometry, all the relationships are the same but they use x y and r instead (x is adjacent, y is opposite, and r is hypotenuse).
Natalie
it is better to use unit circle than triangle .triangle is only used for acute angles but you can begin with. Download any application named"unit circle" you find in it all you need. unit circle is a circle centred at origine (0;0) with radius r= 1.
SLIMANE
What is domain
johnphilip
the standard equation of the ellipse that has vertices (0,-4)&(0,4) and foci (0, -15)&(0,15) it's standard equation is x^2 + y^2/16 =1 tell my why is it only x^2? why is there no a^2?