<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >
This figure shows three graphs labeled a, b, and c. Graph a shows an increasing function (f) along the x-axis and the y-axis which is labeled f of x. Graph b shows a decreasing function (f) along the x-axis and y-axis which is labeled f of x. Graph c shows a constant function (f) along the x-axis and y-axis which is labeled f of x. The constant function is horizontal. None of the graphs have any increments labeled on the x- or y-axis.

Increasing and decreasing functions

The slope determines if the function is an increasing linear function    , a decreasing linear function    , or a constant function.

  • f ( x ) = m x + b is an increasing function if m > 0.
  • f ( x ) = m x + b is a decreasing function if m < 0.
  • f ( x ) = m x + b is a constant function if m = 0.

Deciding whether a function is increasing, decreasing, or constant

Some recent studies suggest that a teenager sends an average of 60 texts per day http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-57400228-501465/teens-are-sending-60-texts-a-day-study-says/ . For each of the following scenarios, find the linear function that describes the relationship between the input value and the output value. Then, determine whether the graph of the function is increasing, decreasing, or constant.

  1. The total number of texts a teen sends is considered a function of time in days. The input is the number of days, and output is the total number of texts sent.
  2. A teen has a limit of 500 texts per month in his or her data plan. The input is the number of days, and output is the total number of texts remaining for the month.
  3. A teen has an unlimited number of texts in his or her data plan for a cost of $50 per month. The input is the number of days, and output is the total cost of texting each month.

Analyze each function.

  1. The function can be represented as f ( x ) = 60 x where x is the number of days. The slope, 60, is positive so the function is increasing. This makes sense because the total number of texts increases with each day.
  2. The function can be represented as f ( x ) = 500 60 x where x is the number of days. In this case, the slope is negative so the function is decreasing. This makes sense because the number of texts remaining decreases each day and this function represents the number of texts remaining in the data plan after x days.
  3. The cost function can be represented as f ( x ) = 50 because the number of days does not affect the total cost. The slope is 0 so the function is constant.
Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Interpreting slope as a rate of change

In the examples we have seen so far, the slope was provided to us. However, we often need to calculate the slope given input and output values. Recall that given two values for the input, x 1 and x 2 , and two corresponding values for the output, y 1 and y 2 —which can be represented by a set of points, ( x 1 y 1 ) and ( x 2 y 2 ) —we can calculate the slope m .

m = change in output (rise) change in input (run) = Δ y Δ x = y 2 y 1 x 2 x 1

Note that in function notation we can obtain two corresponding values for the output y 1 and y 2 for the function f , y 1 = f ( x 1 ) and y 2 = f ( x 2 ) , so we could equivalently write

m = f ( x 2 ) f ( x 1 ) x 2 x 1

[link] indicates how the slope of the line between the points, ( x 1 , y 1 ) and ( x 2 , y 2 ) , is calculated. Recall that the slope measures steepness, or slant. The greater the absolute value of the slope, the steeper the slant is.

This graph shows how to calculate the slope of a line. The line is graphed on an x y coordinate plane. The x-axis is labeled from negative 1 to 6. The y-axis is labeled from negative 1 to 10. The line passes through several points, but two are marked specifcally. The first is labeled (x subscript 1, y subscript 1). It is located at the point (1, 5). The second point is labeled (x subscript 2, y subscript 2). It is located at the point (2, 8). There is a small arrow that runs horizontally from point (2, 8) to point (1, 8). This arrow is labeled x subscript 2 minus x subscript 1. There is a blue arrow that runs vertically from point (1, 5) to point (1, 8) and is labeled y subscript 2 minus y subscript 1. Off to the side is the equation m equals delta y divided by delta x which equals y subscript 2 minus y subscript 1 divided by x subscript 2 minus x subscript 1.
The slope of a function is calculated by the change in y divided by the change in x . It does not matter which coordinate is used as the ( x 2 , y 2 ) and which is the ( x 1 , y 1 ) , as long as each calculation is started with the elements from the same coordinate pair.

Questions & Answers

Why is b in the answer
Dahsolar Reply
how do you work it out?
Brad Reply
answer
Ernest
heheheehe
Nitin
(Pcos∅+qsin∅)/(pcos∅-psin∅)
John Reply
how to do that?
Rosemary Reply
what is it about?
Amoah
how to answer the activity
Chabelita Reply
how to solve the activity
Chabelita
solve for X,,4^X-6(2^)-16=0
Alieu Reply
x4xminus 2
Lominate
sobhan Singh jina uniwarcity tignomatry ka long answers tile questions
harish Reply
t he silly nut company makes two mixtures of nuts: mixture a and mixture b. a pound of mixture a contains 12 oz of peanuts, 3 oz of almonds and 1 oz of cashews and sells for $4. a pound of mixture b contains 12 oz of peanuts, 2 oz of almonds and 2 oz of cashews and sells for $5. the company has 1080
ZAHRO Reply
If  , , are the roots of the equation 3 2 0, x px qx r     Find the value of 1  .
Swetha Reply
Parts of a pole were painted red, blue and yellow. 3/5 of the pole was red and 7/8 was painted blue. What part was painted yellow?
Patrick Reply
Parts of the pole was painted red, blue and yellow. 3 /5 of the pole was red and 7 /8 was painted blue. What part was painted yellow?
Patrick
how I can simplify algebraic expressions
Katleho Reply
Lairene and Mae are joking that their combined ages equal Sam’s age. If Lairene is twice Mae’s age and Sam is 69 yrs old, what are Lairene’s and Mae’s ages?
Mary Reply
23yrs
Yeboah
lairenea's age is 23yrs
ACKA
hy
Katleho
Ello everyone
Katleho
Laurene is 46 yrs and Mae is 23 is
Solomon
hey people
christopher
age does not matter
christopher
solve for X, 4^x-6(2*)-16=0
Alieu
prove`x^3-3x-2cosA=0 (-π<A<=π
Mayank Reply
create a lesson plan about this lesson
Rose Reply
Excusme but what are you wrot?

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