Is #1/x+3y=-5# a linear function and explain your reasoning?

1 Answer
Jan 16, 2017

This is not a linear function. Explanation below.

Explanation:

We can modify the expression, so it has #y# alone on one side:

#3y = -1/x -5 => y = -1/3 1/x - 15#.

We can see that this is basically the hyperbola #y = -1/3 1/x#

shifted 15 units downwards, and hyperbolas are not linear functions.