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MTH 111 2.2 - Graphs of Linear Functions Smith

The document discusses several methods for graphing linear functions: 1) Using the y-intercept and slope, by plotting the y-intercept point and using the slope and rise-over-run method to plot additional points on the line. 2) Using transformations, where the slope is the vertical stretch/compression and the y-intercept is the vertical shift. 3) Properties of parallel and perpendicular lines based on their slopes. Two lines are parallel if their slopes are equal, and perpendicular if the product of their slopes is -1. The document also provides examples of using these methods to graph lines, find lines parallel or perpendicular to given lines, and finding the point of intersection between two lines.

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Smake Jith
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57 views2 pages

MTH 111 2.2 - Graphs of Linear Functions Smith

The document discusses several methods for graphing linear functions: 1) Using the y-intercept and slope, by plotting the y-intercept point and using the slope and rise-over-run method to plot additional points on the line. 2) Using transformations, where the slope is the vertical stretch/compression and the y-intercept is the vertical shift. 3) Properties of parallel and perpendicular lines based on their slopes. Two lines are parallel if their slopes are equal, and perpendicular if the product of their slopes is -1. The document also provides examples of using these methods to graph lines, find lines parallel or perpendicular to given lines, and finding the point of intersection between two lines.

Uploaded by

Smake Jith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MTH 111 2.

2 – Graphs of Linear Functions Smith

Graphing a Linear Function


There are a few different ways that we can graph a linear function.

Graphing a Linear Function Using y-Intercept and Slope


To plot the graph of a linear function using the slope and y-intercept, we do the following.
1. Plot the y-intercept point.
2. Use the slope and rise-over-run method to plot points on the same line as the y-intercept.

3. Connect the points.

Ex. Graph f (x) = − 23 x + 2 using the y-intercept and slope.

Graphing a Linear Function Using Transformations


Let f (x) = x. Then we can think of any linear function g(x) = mx + b as a member of the family of transformed
functions of f . In this case, m is the factor by which f is vertically stretched/compressed and b is the vertical shift.
Examples of both can be seen below.

Notice that if |m| > 1 the slope of the graph gets steeper and if |m| < 1, the slope gets less steep.
Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
Two lines are parallel if they do not intersect (so their slopes are the same). Hence,

f (x) = m1 x + b1 and g(x) = m2 x + b2 are parrallel if and only if m1 = m2 .

Two lines are perpendicular if they intersect at right angles. So,


1
f (x) = m1 x + b1 and g(x) = m2 x + b2 are perpendicular if and only if m1 m2 = −1 (which implies that m2 = − ).
m1

Ex. Let f (x) = 31 x + 2. Find a line perpendicular to the line described by f that passes through the point (−1, 2).

Ex. Find a line which is parallel to the line passing through (2, −3) and (3, 4), which passes through the point (0, 1).

Finding the Point of Intersection of Two Lines


To find the point at which two lines meet, set the equations of both lines equal to each other and solve for x (or
whatever the input variable is).

Ex. Find the point at which the lines f (x) = 12 x + 2 and g(x) = 3x − 1 intersect.

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