How do you determine whether each equation is a linear equation: #5x=y-4#?

1 Answer
Aug 26, 2017

Look at the #x# terms and if they are all 1 set of #x# (no #x^2# or anything) then it's linear.

Explanation:

A linear equation will give only one value of #x# for every value of y. Quadratics or polynomials will more than one power on the #x# eg. #x^4# ) They graph as a wiggly line or a curve.

Linear graphs are straight. Your equation, #5x=y-4# or #y=5x+4# will be a straight line with a gradient (slope) of 5 and a y-intercept of 4 (where the line cuts through the y axis).

graph{y=5x+4 [-22.49, 22.51, -11.26, 11.25]}