Introduction: Characteristics of Linear Functions and Their Graphs

Imagine placing a plant in the ground one day and finding that it has doubled its height just a few days later. Although it may seem incredible, this can happen with certain types of bamboo species. These members of the grass family are the fastest-growing plants in the world. One species of bamboo has been observed to grow nearly inches every hour. In a twenty-four hour period, this bamboo plant grows about / inches, or an incredible feet! A constant rate of change, such as the growth cycle of this bamboo species, is a linear function.
In this lesson you will learn how to:
- Calculate and interpret the slope of a linear function
- Write the point-slope form of a linear function
- Use simple transformations to graph linear functions
The learning activities for this outcome include:
- Read: Calculate and interpret slope
- Self-Check: Calculate and interpret slope
- Read: Graph linear functions using slope and y-intercept
- Self-Check: Graph linear functions using slope and y-intercept
- Read: Transform linear functions
- Self-Check: Transform linear functions