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Ideas and Resources

for
Linear Functions
Susan Wall
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Linear Functions

These ideas are not intended to cover every aspect of the scheme of work. Neither
are they intended to provide all the practice that a student needs. Some activities
cover the same ideas in different ways. They are opportunities for a more
interactive way of learning where appropriate. Most activities are more effective if
done in pairs or groups.

Focus 1: The equation y = mx + c and the properties of straight lines –

intercepts and gradients.

 As an introduction (and revision from GCSE) to work on straight lines, write y =

2x + 1 in the middle of the board. Ask for anyone to contribute anything that
they know about that function. Hope to get that it is a straight line, something
about y intercept, something about gradient and something about points that it
goes through. A little prompting is in order here! Just write everything on the
board without explanation. Encourage lots of points that the line goes through.
Then discuss and ask for explanation for each property. Ask them to explain how
they know whether a point lies on the line or not. Link gradient as the coefficient
of x with a gradient triangle from two of the points given. Link the y intercept
with the idea of substituting x = 0 and then solving for y. (It is important for
later equations that will not be written as y = … that students do not use the rule
of ‘y intercept = number at the end’.) This leads onto the x intercept as solving
for x when y = 0.
Give everyone (or in pairs) a piece of A3 paper and an equation of the form
y = mx + c. Everyone can have a different equation and so can check each others.
Then ask them to produce a diagram like the one below for their equation.
y intercept is …
Sketch …
x intercept is …
x=0
y=0

y=

A point on
the line is …

A point on
Gradient is …
the line is …

Gradient triangle:
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Then repeat by giving an equation of the form 3x + 4y = 12. This should

produce some interesting discussions particularly for those who say it has
gradient 3 and then find a different answer from their gradient triangle.

Note: If students are finding the ideas easy they could try an equation of the
type 3x + 4y = 12 to start with. For those who find the ideas challenging they
could do two in the form of y = mx + c.

 The following questions can be used to reinforce and assess learning. Students
can answer on mini whiteboards and have to give a different answer from anyone
sitting near to them. Different versions of each one can be used by changing the
numbers or position of the graph.

Give me an example of an equation whose graph has a y intercept of 5.

Give me an example of an equation whose graph has a x intercept of 2.
Give me an example of an equation whose graph has a gradient of 4.
Give me an example of an equation whose graph passes through the
point (3, 5).
Give me a possible equation that has the graph:

More challenging questions where there are two (or more) graphs involved can
be given e.g.

Give a or
possible
equation
for this line

y=5-x
Give a possible equation for
these lines
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Focus 2: Rearranging equations into the form y = mx + c, matching

equations to lines, identifying parallel lines.

 As a reminder of work done in focus 1, put this diagram and set of equations on
the board and ask students, working in pairs, to identify which is which and why.
They could write it on a poster or discuss it in groups and then give answers
orally.

Which is which? Give as

many reasons as you can to
justify your answer.

 As part of the class discussion to check answers the equations will be

rearranged to get them into the form y = mx + c. Some students may need some
practice on this. Give them the following problem:

Select which rearrangements are true. Use algebra to justify

your answer.

Encourage students to explain to the rest of the class why they chose one to
be true or false. Repeat for other similar ones if necessary.
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 Students can now use the sheet ‘Matching Equations’ to identify equations by
checking the co-ordinates and by using y = mx + c. In the first problem, there
are 3 correct versions for each line and students should justify their choices in
at least two different ways. They can work in pairs for this. In the second
problem again they need to match equations to graphs – one to each this time –
but they should be looking to see the connection between the equations of
parallel lines and this should be emphasised in the discussion afterwards.

 Ask students to give examples of lines that are parallel to a given one e.g.

y = 3x + 7 leading up to e.g. 2y + 5x = 8.

Focus 3: Perpendicular lines

 Start by drawing perpendicular lines on square paper, calculating the gradient of

each using the squares and come to a generalisation about perpendicular
gradients.

 Practise using mini whiteboards to answer questions such as:

What is the perpendicular gradient to a gradient of ½ ?

What is the perpendicular gradient to –7?
Give me an example of the equation of a line that is perpendicular to the line
y = 5x – 3 or 3y = 4 – 7x or 3x + 2y = 5 etc
Give me the equations of two perpendicular lines.

 Put some equations on the board or give out a set of cards from the sheet ‘ Sort
into Categories’ to each pair of students. Ask questions – if using cards then
they can hold up the card with the graph on, otherwise write the equation on a
mini – whiteboard. Questions could include:
Which lines have gradient 3?
Which lines are perpendicular?
Which go through (2, 1)
Which are parallel? etc

 Photocopy the first sheet of ‘Pairs’ onto A4 and the second sheet of “Pairs” with
properties on, onto A3 paper. Then students have to find 2 equations of lines
from the first sheet that fit into each category. They stick them on, add some
justification and fill in a property for the two that do not fit anywhere. They
could add one of their own to each set when they have finished.
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 Cut out all the equations on the sheet ‘Parallel and Perpendicular’. Ask students
to use them to make sentences using 2 of the equations which say:

is parallel to because …

(or perpendicular to …because…)

These can be stuck onto sugar paper and the reason written on.
Note that there are two of each equation in case students want to use the same
one for a parallel and a perpendicular.
Students could also make up their own equations.

 Ask students to write a description of how they would decide if 2 lines are
parallel from their equations.
Ask students to write a description of how they would decide if 2 lines are
perpendicular from their equations.

Focus 4: Constructing the equation of a line given a gradient and a point.

Constructing the equation of a line given a parallel line and a
point.
Constructing the equation of a line given a perpendicular line
and a point.
Constructing the equation of a line through two given points.

 Using mini whiteboards ask students to write down the equation of a line of
gradient 4, then one of gradient 5 etc.
Then ask them to write the equation of a line that goes through the point (1, 2).
Ask them to give another and another. Repeat for other points until they are
fluent.
Then ask them to write down the equation of a line that has gradient 3 and when
they have done that ask them if it goes through the point (3, 1). If it does not
then ask them to change it so that it still has gradient 3 but goes through the
point (3, 1).
Repeat for other gradients and points.

 Check that they can give examples of parallel and perpendicular lines using mini-
whiteboards and then repeat the above idea for finding the equation of a line
that is parallel (or perpendicular) to a given line and goes through a given point.

Finally give them the coordinates of two points and ask them to find the
gradient and so the equation of the line.
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 Each student is given a piece of paper as below (either photocopied or they just
write the words on). They have to fill in a point and gradient of their own choice.
They then fill in the rest and the sheets are passed around the class to other
students for checking and returned with comments:

My point is: ………………………

My gradient is: ……………………….

My equation is: …………………………………………………………………..

A parallel line is: …………………………………………………………………

A perpendicular line is: ……………………………………………………………..

This can then be repeated for two points rather than a point and the
gradient:

My first point is: ………………………

My second point is: ………………………

My gradient is: ……………………….

My equation is: …………………………………………………………………..

A parallel line is: …………………………………………………………………

A perpendicular line is: ……………………………………………………………..

 Ask students to write a series of bullet points or a flow diagram to show how to
find the equation of the straight line that joins two given points.

 Students could read and work through the solution on the sheet ‘ Perpendicular
Bisectors’ and describe what is happening on each line of the solution and write
it next to the line.
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Focus 2 Matching the Equations

Problem 1
Match the equations to the line (3 for each) and give reasons for your
choice!

A
(2, 2)

(0, -4)

y = 3x – 4 y + 3x + 4 = 0

y + 4 = 3x 2y = 3x + 1
C
(-2, 2)
4y = 6x + 2 3y + 9x = –12
2y – 3x = 1 2y – 6x + 8 = 0

y = –3x – 4
(0, -4)

(3, 5)

(1, 2)
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Problem 2
Label the lines with these equations. Give a reason for your choices.

Describe how you would know whether two lines are parallel or not by
using their equations rather than sketching a graph.
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Focus 3 Sort into Categories

y = 4x + 1 y – 4x = 3

2y – 8x = 7
y + 3x = 1

y + 4x = 1 y = 3x + 1

y = 7 – 3x
y – 3x = 3
y + 3x = 3
2y = 7 – 8x
3y + x = 3
4y + x = 1
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4y = 7 + x 3y = 1 + x
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Focus 3 Pairs

y = 4x + 4 4y = x + 3

y = 8x – 3 y + 4x + 6 = 0

3y =2x – 8 y + 6x = 11

y + 8x = 6 2y + 8 = 3x

2y + x = 4 2y = 8x + 3

y = 6x – 4 y+x+8=0
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These lines are parallel. These lines are perpendicular.

These lines have the same y intercept. These lines have the same x intercept.

These lines both go through the point (1, 5). These lines …..
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Focus 3 Parallel and Perpendicular lines

y = 4x + 1 2y = 8x – 3 y = 3x + 7

3y + x = 3 3y + x + 1 = 0 y = 3x - 7

2y = 6x + 3 3y = 6x – 1 4y = x + 4

4y + x = 4 y + 4x 3 3 4x + y =7

y = 6x + 1 4y + x = 1 y = 8x + 1

y = 4x + 1 2y = 8x – 3 y = 3x + 7

3y + x = 3 3y + x + 1 = 0 y = 3x - 7

2y = 6x + 3 3y = 6x – 1 4y = x + 4

4y + x = 4 y + 4x 3 3 4x + y =7

y = 6x + 1 4y + x = 1 y = 8x + 1
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Focus 4 Perpendicular Bisectors

Question: Find the perpendicular bisector of the line joining the points
(-2, 11) and (4, -7).

Follow the solution and explain what is happening at each stage.

Solution: Explanation:
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