MN1105

Introduction to Linear, Quadratic,

Logarithmic & Exponential Equations

LakshmiNarasimhan
Vedanthachari
Agenda

1.Lines and linear equations

2.Quadratic equations
3.Power and Logarithm
functions
4.Derivatives and one
application
Type of relationship between variables

Linear
Y= mX+C

Power Model
Y = aX2 + C
Y = Dependant Variable Quadratic Equations
X = Independent Variable
m = Slope can also be grouped here
C = a constant initial conditions
Type of Relationships between Variables

Inverse Square
𝑦 =𝑎 √ 𝑥
Square Root Model
S-Curve
Asymptotic – Starts with high
demand and tapers off Exponential Curve
Straight line graphs

y = 2x + 1
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 Linear equations - Generic form y = m*x +
b
b= Y intersect; m= gradient (positive, negative);
Left side (Y): Unknown, dependent variable(s
Right side: Independent (x), they can do what they like…
m is positive

m is negative
 Finding the equation of a line y = mx+b

You only need two points to draw a straight line

Example: Find the equation of the line through the points (-
1,3) and (2,9)
Gradient (m) is (y2 – y1)/(x2 – x1)
= (9-3) / (2+1) = 6/3 = 2
so y = 2x + b
To find the value of b, just use one of the points
For instance 2,9 tells us that 9 = 2 x 2 + b, so b is 5
the9 equation is y = 2x + 5
An application: Linearity in manufacturing – needs accurate reasoning on the
gradient

A company has £2000 per week to spend

making radios and televisions. It costs £5 to
make a radio, £40 to make a television

Possible numbers of
radios (x) and
televisions (y) they
could manufacture with
a constraint (budget)

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Joe Bloggs income tax was £2290. His income tax
rate was 10% for the first £13,000 of income and 15%
for income excess of £13000. Which of the following
equation best models x, Joe Bloggs income?
1. (0.1+0.15)x-13000 = 2290
2. 0.15x- (0.1)(13000) = 2290
3. (0.1)(13,000)+0.15x = 2290
4. (0.1)(13000)+ 0.15(x-13000) = 2290
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Solving problems with linear equations – equate them and solve

Example: we want the x and y which makes both

or Y equations true
1. 2x - y = -1 equation 1
2. 14x + 3y = 43 equation 2
a) Solve for one variable (x). To do so, we can
multiply or divide an equation to get an equivalent
equation and get rid of y
Multiplying equation 1 by 3 gives
or X  6x – 3y = -3 equation 1’
 14x + 3y = 43 equation 2

Adding these two gives 20x + 0y = 40 and so x

=2
b) If we put x =2 into equation 1 we can solve for y
 2x – y = -1 gives 4 – y = -1, and so y = 5

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Solve the following pair of linear equation

3x+2y = 36
5x+4y = 64

Solution:
Step 1: Multiply Equation 1 by 2 and then subtract
6x + 4y = 72 −
5x + 4y = 64
x + 0y = 8
X = 8; Substitute x in 3(8)+2y = 36 will give y = 6
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S0lve

3x-4y = 12
-12x+16Y = 5

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If Tom and John combine their savings they have
£36000; If Tom’s investment is halved and John’s share
doubled the value goes to £42000. What are their
individual savings?

T+J = 36000;
T/2+2J = 42000
T/2+72000-2T = 42000
3/2T = 30000
T 15
= 20000; J = 16,000
 MN1105
Non-linearity: Quadratic Equations,
Logarithms
 Functions

A function is a mathematical expression that defines a set

of operations on one or more variables to produce a
value
•E.g. 2x + y is a function of x and y

Can give functions names, with value it is applied to

•E.g. f(x) is a function of x

f(x) = 2x + 3
This Photo
by Unknown
Author is
licensed
under

so f(y) = 2y + 3 and f(2) = 2 x 2

CC BY-SA-NC

+3 = 7
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Linear equations are just one type of functions
Quadratic functions can be represented by curves

Quadratic function has form y = ax2 + bx + c (see

chapters MM1-2) and has a curved graph

Example: y = x2
x -5 -3 -1 0 3 5
y 25 9 1 0 9 25

Notice symmetry

We can plot some points and have

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an ‘idea’ of the behavior of this function
 Another example

Sketch y = -x2 +2x +3

The x2 term is negative so the curve
is an inverted ‘U’
It crosses the y axis at (0, 3)
It crosses the x axis at (-1,0) and
(3,0)
It turns or reaches a peak when x =
-b/2a
So (x) = -2/2*-1 = 1, y = -1+2+3 = 4
Hence peak point is (1,4)

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Quadratic equations are one type of non-linear behaviour

y = a*x*x + b*x + c or y = a*x^2 + b*x + c

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under
CC BY-SA
A key aim is to find points (x) where things ‘start’ turning in the curve.
An example (check your book, chapter M5) – Profit Breaking even: revenue=cost
Profit = revenue (linear) – cost (quadratic), with both
depending on unit price. Cost decreases or increases (see figure)
To find important (x) values (peak, breaking even points),
we can use the formula:

or x = -b/2a (peaks of maximum profit or loss)

Breaking even: revenue=cost
A similar example: Demand based on sale price per unit (Chapters MM1,
MM2)

1000 = 2000+1000p-6p^2
−𝑏 ± √ 𝑏2 − 4 𝑎𝑐 -6p^2+1000p+1000 = 0
𝑥= p= -1000+-(√(1000)^2-4*(-6)*1000)/2*-6
2𝑎
Gives p = £23.69 (we take the positive)
Express this situation as a quadratic equation

An investor purchases some shares for £7000. When the price per share increases by £1.50 she
sells all but 1000 of the shares for £5000. Find an equation for the number of shares she bought
originally.
Revenue = Number of shares * Unit Price
Revenue = 5000
Number of shares = X-1000
Original Unit Price = 7000/x ; New Unit Price = 7000/x + 1.5
X = Number of shares the investor purchases
Price per share = 7000/x
Investor sells x-1000 shares when the price increases by £1.5 and gets £5000
Hence
(X-1000)*(7000/x+1.5) = 5000
7000+1.5x-7000000/x-1500 = 5000

22/x Which simplifies into 500 + 1.5x-7,000,000/x-1500 = 0

 Power function

y = ax

higher a, the steeper the curve. All go through 0,1, but afterwards, they go ‘nu
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Solving Exponential Problems

Exponential Equation can be expressed in the form –

Value = Coefficient (Base)exponent

In short y = abt
Based on the objective of the problem, this equation should be solved accordingly.
Scenario E.g. Output

Coefficient, Base A machinery is depreciating Coefficient = 12,000

and Exponent at the rate of 7% per year. If b = 1-r = 1-0.07 =
are known it is valued £12,000 what will 0.93
be it’s value in three years t = 3 years
1200*(0.93)3 =
12000*0.804 = 9,652
24/x
Scenario E.g. Output

The objective The machinery is Coefficient = a

is to depreciating at the rate b = 1-r = 1-0.07 =
determine the of 7% per year. The 0.93
coefficient machinery has been t = 3 years
valued £8000 after three 8000 = a*(0.93)3
years, what was the 8000 / (0.93)3 =
value of the machinery £9,945
when it was new?
The objective A business owner has a 10,000 = 20,000
is to machinery that is valued at (0.93)t
determine
25/x the £20,000 today and is
depreciating at the rate of 7%
Use logarithm

A quantity representing the power to which a fixed number must be raised

to produce a given number. The fixed number is also known as base
Log of a number to given base is the power or exponent to which the base
must be raised in order to produce that number
Y = ax can be re-written as
Log aY = x
We know 2^3 = 8 (2*2*2 =8)
This can be written as 3 = log2 8
Likewise Log 10 1000 = 3 which is nothing 10^3 = 1000
26/x
Logarithmic Laws

27/x
Example – Compound interest (5 years)

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Solving powers (y = ax ) – Logarithm function or log x (take logarithms in both
sides)
For any base
1. log pq = log
p +log q
2. log (p/q) =
log p – log q
3. log pn = n log
p

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 Example: If I have £1000 to invest, and the interest rate is 5% per year, how
many years will it take to accumulate £2000?

A = C* (1+r)^n (r Solution
is a fraction or £2000= £1000*(1+5/100)^n
percentage) We take Logs and follow the rules
Log(2000)= Log 1000 + Log
1. log pq = log p (1+5/100)^n [1]
+log q This Photo by Unknown Log (2000) = Log (1000) +
Author is licensed

2. log (p/q) = log p under CC BY-SA nLog(1+5/100)[3]

– log q Then we ‘clear’ n
3. log pn = n log p Log (2000)-Log(1000)=
nLog(1+5/100)
[Log (2000)-Log (1000)]/ Log
Derivatives (MM3)

The gradient at a point is the

gradient of the tangent at that
point.

It is the change in y divided by

the change in x, between a
point and a point
infinitesimally near.
Note: the gradient differs at
different points

Useful for calculating rates of change between xs and

ys
dy/dx when y = x^n = n*x^n-1 (MM3, page 175)
 Derivatives – one application (MM3, p.181)

Useful for calculating rates of change between xs and

ys
dy/dx when y = x^n
= n*x^n-1 (MM3, page 174-175, also check log
and e function derivatives, this rule might not
apply to them!)
For example, when R (revenue) is a function of Q
(demand)
1. R= 10Q – 0.001Q^2 [R becomes y, Q becomes x]
For Q = 3000, what is the marginal revenue?
DR/DQ = 10-2*(0.001)Q [take derivatives in 1 above]
DR/DQ = 10-2*(3) [replacing Q by 3000, multiplying it
by 0.001]
DR/DQ = 4  Revenue can become 4 times large
than32the demand if this demand increases.
Further Reading

• Look at chapters 3 & 4

(look at the colored work
cards and assessments)

• Solve the problems and

also use the online
resources

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