College Algebra Worksheet 4.1-4.

2 Name:
Linear Functions and Modeling

Launch

1. Why are functions of the form f(x) = mx + b called linear functions?

2. What do the m and b represent in f(x) = mx + b?

3. What does it mean for a function to be increasing or decreasing?

4. What is the formula for slope?

5. Explain how you graph a function using the slope and y-intercept.

6. How do you find the equation of a line if you are given:

a. The slope and the y-intercept

b. The slope and any point

c. Any two points on the line

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

 7. Which calculator function do you use to solve linear equations?

8. What is the zero of a function? How do you find it? What calculator function do you use?

9. What slope do horizontal lines have? What about vertical lines?

10. How can you tell if two lines are parallel?

11. How can you tell if two lines are perpendicular?

Exploration

12. Find the slope of the line that contains the following points:
a. (6, 8) and (3, -2)

b. (9, 7) and (9, -15)

c. (16, -5) and (-17, -5)

d. f(6) = 12 and f(13) = -5

e. g()= and g()=

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

13. Determine whether the function is increasing or decreasing.
−3
a. y = x +7
2

b. f(x) = 7x+1

c. 4x - 3y = 12

14. The population of Licking County increased from 120,981 in 1980 to 166,492 in 2010. Find the
average rate of change in the population of Licking County during this time.

15. Facebook had 431 billion users in 2010 and 1276 billion users in 2014. Find the average rate of
change in the number of Facebook users between 2010 and 2014.

16. While running a half marathon, a runner noticed that he passed a lot of runners between mile 4
and mile 6. At 4 miles his race time was 35 minutes and 13 seconds and at 6 miles his race time
was 51 minutes and 45 seconds. How fast (on average) was he going during this part of the race?
What units make the most sense for your answer?

17. State the slope and the y-intercept of the following lines:
a. y = 3x + 2

−4
b. y = x−17
5

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

 c. 3x + 2y = 4

d. 10x + 5y = 13

e. y = 12

f. x=5

18. Graph the following linear functions using the slope-intercept method.
2
a. y = x +2
3

8
b. y = - x +1
5

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

 c. 4x + 2y = 8

19. Use the information given to find the equation of the line with the given characteristics. Write
your answer in slope-intercept form.
a. Slope of 3 and y-intercept (0, -12)

b. Slope of 5 and goes through the point (4, 6)

c. Goes through the points (8, 5) and (-6, 7)

d. A y-intercept of 5 and is parallel to the line 3x+y=6

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

 e. Find a linear function given f(-2) = 7 and f(-3) = 9. Then find f(4).

20. Consider the line passing through (-2,y) and (-4,4) is perpendicular to the line passing through (-1,-
2) and (4,-1). Find y.

21. Write the equations of the horizontal and vertical line through the given point.
a. (-3, 4)

Horizontal line: Vertical line:

b. (5, 0)
Horizontal line: Vertical line:

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

22. Find the equation of the following lines based on each graph.

a.

b.

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

c.

d.

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

23. Solve the following linear equations.
a. 5x + 2 = 27

b. -4x – 3 = 0

c. 6x – 10 = 4x + 2

d. 5x + 3 – 2x = 7x – 2 + 3x

e. 4(3x – 6) + 5 = 3(5x + 4)

24. At the beginning of a semester a student purchased eight pens and six note pads for a total of
$14.50. If x represents the cost of one pen and y represents the cost of one note pad, write and
equation with two variables that models the given situation. Use the equation to find the cost of a
pen when notes pads cost $0.75 each.

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

25. Solve the following application problems using linear equations.
a. In 2013, the average salary of a RN was $68,910. This was 61% higher than the average
salary of a LPN. Find the average yearly salary of an LPN in 2013.

b. Stephanie has borrowed money at 7% simple interest. At the end of 1 year she owed a
total of $11,235. How much did she borrow?

c. Patrick has a choice of receiving a month salary of $1700 from a shoe store, or $1400
and a 6% commission on the amount of shoes he sells during the month. For what
amount of sales will the two choices be equal?

26. According to http://www.ohiobiz.com/census/Licking.pdf, the census data for Licking County is

Year 1980 1990 2000 2010

Population 120,981 128,300 145,491 166,492

a. Use the data from 1980 and 2010 to find a point-slope form of the equation that models the
population growth for Licking County

b. Write the line in slope-intercept form.

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

 c. Use the line to predict the population of Licking County in 2015.

d. Use the line to predict when the population of Licking county will reach 250,000

27. Steve is looking for a daycare for his infant son. “We Love Kids” daycare charges a yearly
enrollment fee of $150 plus $250 per week for infants.
a. Write an equation that can be used to determine the total cost C(t) of t weeks of infant
care at “We Love Kids” daycare.

b. Find the total cost of 1 year of daycare for an infant at “We Love Kids”.

28. Find the zero of the following linear functions.

a. f(x) = 2x + 10

b. f(x) = -6x + 21

3
c. f(x) = x−17
4

1
d. f(x) = x +2
7

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling

 Extend / Enhance

29. Solve the following problem

Emily is thinking about getting a membership to the science museum in Columbus, COSI.
She and her husband like to take their 3-year old son to the museum. Use the link to the
left to help answer the following questions.
i. Use the link to find the following prices:
COSI Website
General Admission for adults:
(cosi.org)
General Admission for children:

Parking without a membership:

Cost of a Basic Family Membership:

Parking with a membership:

ii. Write an expression for the total cost for Emily’s family of 3 for x visits for each
of the scenarios:
1. Without a membership:

2. With a membership:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Attribution: Nicholas Shay, Rachida Abogazi, Evelyn Kirschner, David Kish

Ohio Open Ed Collaborative - College Algebra: Linear Functions and Modeling