Problem 48 - Algebra 1

Question

Find the slope of the graph of the linear function \(f\). $$ f(2)=2, f(3)=3 $$

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The slope of the graph of the function \(f\) is 1

Step 1: Identify two points on the graph

The points are \( (2, 2) \) and \( (3, 3) \)

Step 2: Substitute into the formula for slope

We substitute \( x1 = 2, y1 = 2, x2 = 3, y2 = 3 \) into the formula \( slope = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1) \)

Step 3: Calculate the slope

We can calculate the slope. \( slope = (3 - 2) / (3 - 2) = 1 / 1 = 1 \)

Key Concepts

Points on a Graph

To begin with understanding slopes of linear functions, let's first discuss points on a graph. A point on a graph is simply a pair of numbers that gives you a direct location on the coordinate plane.
In this plane, the first number of the pair represents a position on the horizontal axis, known as the x-axis, and the second number corresponds to the vertical position, known as the y-axis.

• In our exercise, the function values provided were transformed into points: \( (2, 2) \) and \( (3, 3) \).
• Each point shows where the graph of the function touches the plane.

Understanding these coordinates is critical as they become the foundation for calculating the function's slope. The coordinates display how the function behaves and helps in visual graph interpretation.
For linear functions, every point along the line holds true to the equation and illustrates the relationship between variables.

Slope Calculation

Once we have our points identified, the next step is to calculate the slope. The slope is a measure of how steep the line is.
In mathematical terms, it is the ratio of the vertical change to the horizontal change between two points on a line. This gives us an idea of how much the line rises or falls as we move along the x-axis.

• The formula to calculate the slope (m) is: \[ m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} \]
• Using the points \( (2, 2) \) and \( (3, 3) \), we substitute these values into the formula to find:\[ m = \frac{3 - 2}{3 - 2} = \frac{1}{1} = 1 \]

In our example, the slope is 1.
This indicates that for every single unit increase in the x-direction, the function value f(x) increases by the same amount in the y-direction. This constant rate of change is characteristic of linear functions.

Linear Equations

Now that you've seen how to work with points and the slope, let's explore linear equations. A linear equation is any equation that can be written in the form:\[ y = mx + b \]where:

• \( m \) is the slope of the line.
• \( b \) is the y-intercept, emphasizing where the line crosses the y-axis.

For our specific exercise, we calculated a slope of 1, but no y-intercept is provided because the focus was solely on determining the slope.
However, typically in linear equations, knowing the y-intercept is crucial as it gives more information about the position of the line on the graph.
Linear equations are simple buttons to predict and understand scenarios, making them widely used models in various fields like physics, economics, and social sciences.
Understanding how to juggle points, slopes, and linear equations will give you a strong toolkit for interpreting data and mathematical relationships.