Question

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

Answer 1

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.