Algebra II : Linear Functions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Algebra II

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Understanding Vertical And Horizontal Lines

Which of the following is a horizontal line? 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle x = 4

\displaystyle y = 3x + 4

\displaystyle y = -x

\displaystyle y = 0

\displaystyle y=2x+1

Correct answer:

\displaystyle y = 0

Explanation:

A horizontal line has infinitely many values for \displaystyle x, but only one possible value for \displaystyle y. Thus, it is always of the form \displaystyle y = c, where \displaystyle c is a constant. Horizontal lines have a slope of \displaystyle 0. The only equation of this form is \displaystyle y = 0

Example Question #1 : Vertical And Horizontal Lines

Which of the following equations represents a line that is perpendicular to \displaystyle x = 5?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle y = 5x +3

\displaystyle x = \frac{-1}{5}

\displaystyle y = \frac{-1}{5}x

\displaystyle y = -5

\displaystyle x=\frac{1}{5}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle y = -5

Explanation:

The equation \displaystyle x=5 is a vertical line, so the perpendicular line must be horizontal. The only answer choice that is a horizontal line is \displaystyle y = -5.

Example Question #2 : Vertical And Horizontal Lines

Which of the following is a vertical line? 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle y = 6

\displaystyle y = 3x + 3

\displaystyle x = 2

\displaystyle y = 0

\displaystyle y = -x + 2

Correct answer:

\displaystyle x = 2

Explanation:

A vertical line has infinitely many values of \displaystyle y but only one value of \displaystyle x. Thus, vertical lines are of the form \displaystyle x = c, where \displaystyle c is a real number. The only equation of this form is \displaystyle x = 2

Example Question #1 : Vertical And Horizontal Lines

Which of the following answers describes the graph of this equation?

\displaystyle x=5

(Select all answers that apply)

Possible Answers:

vertical line

Not enough information

horizontal line

Correct answer:

vertical line

Explanation:

The graph of x=5 is a vertical line. The equation x=5 represents all points with x- value equal to 5.

Try to plot a couple of points with an x-value of 5.

A few examples are (5, 0), (5, 2), (5,5).

Draw a line connecting the points and you obtain a vertical line intercepting the x-axis at (5,0).

 

Example Question #2 : Vertical And Horizontal Lines

Which of the following is an equation of a vertical line? 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle y = x^2

\displaystyle x = 5

\displaystyle y = x

\displaystyle y = 3x + 5

\displaystyle y = -2

Correct answer:

\displaystyle x = 5

Explanation:

Think about the meaning of a vertical line on the coordinate grid. The \displaystyle y value changes to any value, yet the \displaystyle x value always stays the same. Thus, we are talking about an equation in which the \displaystyle y is free, or is not effected, and the \displaystyle x is constant. This is an equation of the form \displaystyle x = c, where \displaystyle c is a constant. 

Example Question #3 : Vertical And Horizontal Lines

Which of the following is an equation of a horizontal line? 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle x = y^2

\displaystyle y = 2x + 4

\displaystyle y = -2

\displaystyle x = 5

\displaystyle y = x

Correct answer:

\displaystyle y = -2

Explanation:

Think about what it means to be a horizontal line. The \displaystyle x value changes to be any real number, but the \displaystyle y value always remains constant. Thus, we are looking for an equation in which the \displaystyle y value is constant and the  \displaystyle x value is not present. This would be any equation of the form \displaystyle y = c, where \displaystyle c is a constant. 

Example Question #5 : Linear Functions

I) \displaystyle x=-4

II) \displaystyle y=3

III) \displaystyle 3y-5=3y+4x+7

IV) \displaystyle 2x+3y=8

Which of the presented equations are vertical lines?

Possible Answers:

I and II

III and IV

I and III

I

II and IV

Correct answer:

I and III

Explanation:

A vertical line is only dependent on \displaystyle x and is completely independent of \displaystyle y. Therefore, since I is \displaystyle x=-4, I is a vertical line. II is not a vertical line since it is only dependent upon \displaystyle y; it is in fact a horizontal line.

For III, if we simplify the equation

\displaystyle \underset{-3y}{3y}-5=\underset{-3y}{3y}+4x+7

it becomes

\displaystyle -\underset{-7}{5}=4x+\underset{-7}{7}

and finally

\displaystyle \frac{4x}{4}=\frac{-12}{4}=-3=x

Since III is only dependent upon \displaystyle x, III is a vertical line.

IV is codependent upon both \displaystyle x and \displaystyle y, so it is neither a vertical nor a horizontal line. Therefore, only I and III are vertical lines.

Example Question #2 : Vertical And Horizontal Lines

What is the equation for the horizontal line containing the point \displaystyle (7, 10)?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle y = 7

\displaystyle x = 7

\displaystyle y = 10

\displaystyle x = 10

Correct answer:

\displaystyle y = 10

Explanation:

The equation for a horizontal line is \displaystyle y=b

where b is the y-coordinate of the point \displaystyle (a, b) on the line.

As such, the equation for the line containing the point (7, 10) is

\displaystyle y = 10

Example Question #3 : Linear Functions

What is the equation for the vertical line containing the point  \displaystyle (3, 7) ?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle x = 3

\displaystyle y = 7

\displaystyle x = 7

\displaystyle y = 3

Correct answer:

\displaystyle x = 3

Explanation:

The equation for a vertical line is \displaystyle x=a where \displaystyle a is the \displaystyle x-coordinate of the point \displaystyle (a, b) on the line.

As such, the equation for the line containing the point \displaystyle (3, 7) is,

\displaystyle x = 3.

Example Question #5 : Linear Functions

What is the slope of a vertical line?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 1

\displaystyle 2

\displaystyle 0

Undefined

\displaystyle -1

Correct answer:

Undefined

Explanation:

The slope of a line is defined as the change in the y direction divided by the change in the x direction. A vertical line does not change in the y direction nor the x direction. This means that it's slope is \displaystyle \frac{0}{0}. It is impossible to divide any number by zero, therefore the answer is undefined.

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