9/8/24, 2:26 PM Sample Problems: Linear Functions | Coursera

Sample Problems: Linear Functions

Sample Problem 1 - Evaluation and Transformation. The function g is defined by g(x) = 1.6x + 4.
(a) Find g(2).
(b) Write and simplify an expression for 3g(x + 1).
(c) How is the graph of 3g(x + 1) related to the graph of g(x)?
Solution.
(a) To find g(2), replace x with 2 in the expression for g(x).
g(x) = 1.6x + 4
g(2) = 1.6(2) + 4
= 3.2 + 4
​ ​

= 7.2
(b) To find an expression for 3g(x + 1), we can start by finding g(x + 1). To do this, we replace x with (x + 1) in the expression for g(x).
g(x) = 1.6x + 4
g(x + 1) = 1.6(x + 1) + 4
= 1.6x + 1.6 + 4
​ ​

= 1.6x + 5.6
Then, we multiply the entire function expression by 3 to find 3g(x + 1).
3g(x + 1) = 3(1.6x + 5.6)
.
= 4.8x + 16.8
​ ​

(c) Recall that if a is a constant, then g(x + a) represents shifting the graph of g(x) horizontally a units to the left. Therefore, the graph of g(x + 1)
is the graph of g(x) shifted one unit to the left. The slope of the line remains exactly the same (1.6), but the y -intercept changes from (0, 4) to
(0, 5.6).
If b is a constant, then bg(x) represents vertically stretching the graph of g by a factor of b. Thus 3g(x + 1) is the graph of g(x + 1), stretched
vertically by a factor of 3.
This stretching changes both the slope and the y -intercept of the line. The slope increases from 1.6 to 4.8, making the line steeper. The y -intercept
also moves higher vertically, from (0, 5.6) to (0, 16.8).
Putting these two steps together, we obtain the graph of 3g(x + 1) by shifting the graph of g(x) 1 unit horizontally to the left and stretching the
graph vertically by a factor of 3.

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Sample Problem 2 - Finding a Linear Function. For each part, find a linear function f (x) such that f (−2) = 1 and the given condition is satisfied.
(a) f (2) = 3.
(b) The graph of y = f (x) is parallel to the line y − 1 = 3 (x + 12 ). ​

(c) The graph of y = f (x) is perpendicular to the line 4y = 1 − x.

Solution.
(a) Remember that a linear function has the form f (x) = mx + b, where m and b are constants. We want to determine the constants m and b. We use
the two given function values to obtain a system of two linear equations for the two variables m and b.
We are given f (−2) = 1. Plugging in −2 for x, we get 1 = f (−2) = −2m + b.
We are also given f (2) = 3. Plugging in 2 for x, we get 3 = f (2) = 2m + b.
−2m + b =1
Thus we have the system of two linear equations, {
2m + b =3
​ ​

We can solve the system either by elimination or substitution.

To solve by elimination, we add the second equation to the first equation to eliminate the variable m, and then solve for b in the resulting equation:
(−2m + b) + (2m + b) = 1 + 3 ⇒ 2b = 4 ⇒ b = 2
Then we can plug b = 2 into either equation to find the value of m:
1
−2m + (2) = 1 ⇒ −2m = −1 ⇒ m = .
2
​

1
Thus, the desired linear function is f (x) = x + 2 .
2
​ ​

(b) Note that the condition f (−2) = 1 means that the point (x, y) = (−2, 1) is on the graph of y = f (x). Thus, we want to find the line that passes
through (−2, 1) and is parallel to y − 1 = 3 (x + 12 ). ​

1
y − 1 = 3 (x + 12 ) is the point-slope form of the equation of the line. The slope of this line is the coefficient of (x + ), which is 3. Parallel lines
2
​ ​

have the same slope, so we want to find the line through (−2, 1) with slope 3.
Using point-slope form with point (x0 , y0 ) = (−2, 1) and slope m = 3, we get the equation
​ ​

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9/8/24, 2:26 PM Sample Problems: Linear Functions | Coursera

y − y0 = m(x − x0 )
​ ​

y − 1 = 3(x − (−2))
​ ​

y − 1 = 3(x + 2)
We can also manipulate this equation to obtain the slope-intercept form.
y − 1 = 3(x + 2)
y − 1 = 3x + 6
​ ​

y = 3x + 7
Thus the desired linear function is f (x) = 3x + 7 .
​

(c) 4y = 1 − x is not in either of the standard forms for line equations. But, if we divide both sides by 4 and rearrange, we get the equation in slope-
intercept form: y = − 14 x + 14 . The slope is − 14 .
​ ​

To find the slope of a perpendicular line, we take the negative reciprocal of the slope. Therefore, we want to find the equation of the line through
1
(−2, 1) with slope − = 4.
− 14
​

Using point-slope form with point (x0 , y0 ) ​ ​ = (−2, 1) and slope m = 4, we get the equation
y − y0 = m(x − x0 )
​ ​

y − 1 = 4(x − (−2))
​ ​

y − 1 = 4(x + 2)
As in the previous part, we can manipulate the equation to get the slope-intercept form.
y − 1 = 4(x + 2)
y − 1 = 4x + 8
​ ​

y = 4x + 9
Thus the desired linear function is f (x) = 4x + 9 .
​

...

Sample Problem 3 - Interpreting a Linear Function. A one-hour photo shop models their monthly operating costs with a linear function C(x),
where x is the number of photos developed in the month and C(x) is given in dollars. If the shop develops 500 photos, their monthly cost is $458. If
the shop develops 800 photos, their monthly cost is $524.
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(a) Write an expression for C(x).

(b) What is the meaning of the slope in the context of the problem?
(c) What is the meaning of the y -intercept in the context of the problem?
Solution. We can start by translating the given information into facts about the function and its graph.
The cost when 500 photos are developed is $458. This means that C(500) = 458 and the point (500, 458) is on the graph of y = C(x).
The cost when 800 photos are developed is $524. This means that C(800) = 524 and the point (800, 524) is on the graph of y = C(x).
(a) Since it is a linear function, C(x) has the form C(x) = mx + b, where m is the slope and (0, b) is the y -intercept.
524 − 458 66
The slope of the line containing the points (500, 458) and (800, 524) is m = = = 0.22.
800 − 500 300
​ ​

We can use either point to write the equation of the line in point-slope form. Using (x, C(x)) = (500, 458), we get C(x) − 458 = 0.22(x − 500)
. We can rearrange this expression to get
C(x) − 458 = 0.22(x − 500)
C(x) = 0.22(x − 500) + 458
​ ​

C(x) = 0.22x + 348 ​

(b) The slope is m = 0.22. Every time x goes up by 1, C(x) goes up by 0.22.
In the context of the problem, x is the number of photos developed and C(x) is the operating cost in dollars. That means that every time an additional
photo is developed, the operating cost increases by 0.22 dollars.
In other words, the slope tells us that the cost of developing each photo is 22 cents.
(c) The y -intercept is (0, b) = (0, 348). The y -intercept can also be expressed as C(0) = 348. In the context of this problem, this means that the
operating cost when 0 photos are developed is 348 dollars.
In other words, $348 is a flat monthly cost that the photo shop must pay, no matter how many photos they develop.
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