Question

Which statement best describes whether the function is linear or nonlinear?

Answer 1

Answer:

Is nonlinear because the common ratio is 3

Step-by-step explanation:

A linear function can be written as:

y = a*x + b

Where a is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

If this line passes through the points (x₁, y₁) and (x₂, y₂) then the slope is:

a = (y₂ - y₁)/(x₂ - x₁)

Now to this problem, if the data corresponds to a linear equation, then for any set of points we choose we should see the same slope.

For example, if we choose the first and second points:

(0,20) and (1, 60) the slope is:

a = (60 - 20)/(1 - 0) = 40/1 = 40

a = 40

Now if we choose the first and third points:

(0, 20) and (2, 180)

The slope is:

a = (180 - 20)/(2 - 0) = (160/2) = 80

So the slopes are different, which means that this function is nonlinear.

If we look at the f(x) values for the second point onwards, we can see that:

f(2) = 60

f(3) = 60*3 = 180

f(4) = 180*3 = 540

f(5) = 540*3 = 1620

and so on.

So this seems to be an exponential function with a common ratio of 3 between consecutive outputs.

Having a common ratio is not a property of linear functions, then the correct options is:

"Is nonlinear because the common ratio is 3"