Is #y=x^2+3# a linear function?

1 Answer
Nov 6, 2016

There is a term in #x^2# so the function is not linear.
It is a parabola.

Explanation:

The word 'linear' means 'in a straight line'

The equation of a straight line has the general form

#ax + by +c" "larr# an x-term, a y-term and a number term

  • the variables do not have powers more than 1,
  • variables do not occur in the denominator of a fraction.
  • different variables do not appear in the same term

In this case, there is a term in #x^2# so the function is not linear.
It is a parabola.