Learning Competency 36: The learner illustrates a linear function.

A linear function is defined by f(x) = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept, m and b ∈ℜ and m ≠ 0. The degree of the function is one
and its graph is a straight line (slant line).
Examples: Illustrate if the following is a linear function or not.
Example 1: f(x) = 2x + 3
Answer: The function f defined by f(x) = 2x + 3 is a linear function because its degree (highest exponent) is 1 (one) and it is written in the form f(x)
= mx + b where the slope m is 2 and the y-intercept b is 3.
Example 2: g(x) = -x
Answer: The function g defined by g(x) = –x is a linear function because its degree is 1 and it can be written in the form g(x) = mx + b as g(x) = -1x
+ 0 where the slope m is -1 and y-intercept b is 0.
Example 3: h(x) = x2 + 5x + 4
Answer: The function h defined by h(x) = x2 + 5x + 4 not a linear function because its degree is 2 and it can be written in the form h( x) = mx + b.

Learning Competency 37: The learner finds the (a) domain; (b) range; (c) table of values; (d) intercepts; and (e) slope of the graphs of a linear
function.
A linear function can be described using its graph. If function f is defined by f(x) = mx + b, then the domain of the function Df is ℜ and its range of the
function Rf is ℜ. In symbols, Df = {x|x∈ℜ}, read as: “the domain of the function f is the set of all x such that x is an element of the set of real numbers,”
and Rf = {y|y∈ℜ}, read as: “the range of the function f is the set of all y such that y is an element of the set of real numbers.”

The mapping diagram of a linear function is a one-to-one correspondence. Each element in the domain corresponds to one and only one element in
the range. In a table of values, the function is linear if first differences on x-coordinates are equal and the first differences on y-coordinates are equal.
However, the function is not linear if the first differences on x-coordinates are equal and the first differences on y-coordinates are not equal.

The x-intercept is the abscissa of the coordinates of the point in which the graph intersects the x-axis. However, the y-intercept is the ordinate of the
coordinates of the point in which the graph intersects the y-axis. Note that f(x)=y.
Example: Given the function f(x) = 2x + 1, you need to solve the x-intercept by letting f(x)= 0 and the y-intercept by letting x = 0.
Letting f(x) = 0, the function f(x)= 2x + 1 becomes Letting x = 0, f(x) = 2x + 1 becomes
0 = 2x + 1 Substitution f(x) = 2(0) + 1 Substitution
-2x = 1 Addition Property of Equality f(x) = 0 + 1 Simplification
−1 f(x)= 1 Simplification
x= Multiplication Property of Equality
2
Remember that linear function is defined by f(x) = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.
Thus, in the function f(x)= 2x + 1, the slope m is 2 and y-intercept b is 1.

rise
The slope m of a line is the steepness of a line. It can be computed by finding the quotient of rise and run. That is, m= . For function defined
run
with a positive slope, the value of the function increases as x increases. However, for functions defined with a negative slope, the value of the function
decreases as x increases. The value of m affects the trend of the function. The value of the slope m tells the trend of the graph.
• If m is positive, then the graph is increasing from left to right.
• If m is negative, then the graph is decreasing from left to right.
• If m is zero, then the graph is a horizontal line.
Examples: Find the (a) domain; (b) range; (c) table of values; (d) intercepts; and (e) slope of the following graphs of a linear function.

2.
a. Df = {x|x∈ℜ}
b. Rf = {y|y∈ℜ}
1. c.
a. Df = {x|x∈ℜ} x - 0 1 2 3
b. Rf = {y|y∈ℜ} 1
c. y 6 5 4 3 2
x - -1 0 1 2 d. a =5; b = 5
2 e. m = –1
y - -1 1 2 3
3 −1
d. a = ;b=1
2
e. m = 2
3.

NAME: ___________________________________________ GRADE&SECTION: _______________ Date:________ Score:________

ACTIVITY A: Illustrate that the following are linear functions or not by filling up the table below. Check Yes if it is a linear function and No if it is not.
Write the degree of the function. For linear functions, identify its slope m and y-intercept b.
Linear
Function Degree Function? m b
Yes No
1. f(x) = 5x + 1
2. f(x) = -6x – 7
3. f(x) = 3x
4. f(x) = x – 4
5. f(x) = 5x – 3
6. f(x) = 2(x – 3)
7. f(x) = -(x + 5)
8. f(x) = -4x2
9. f(x) = 10x2 + 7x
10. f(x) = 3x2 – 5x + 1

ACTIVITY B: Find the (a) domain; (b) range; (c) table of values; (d) intercepts; and (e) slope of the following graphs of a linear function.

1.
a. Df = _____________
b. Rf = _____________
c.
x -2 -1 0 1 2
y -3 -1 1 2 3
d. a =_____________; b = _____________ 2.
e. m = _____________ a. Df = _____________
b. Rf = _____________
c.
x -2 -1 0 1 2
y -3 -1 1 2 3
d. a =_____________; b = _____________
e. m = _____________
3.
a. Df = _____________
b. Rf = _____________
c.
x -2 -1 0 1 2
y -3 -1 1 2 3

d. a =_____________; b = _____________
e. m = _____________
4.

a. Df = _____________
b. Rf = _____________
c.
x -2 -1 0 1 2
y -3 -1 1 2 3

d. a =_____________; b = _____________
e. m = _____________