Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
Precalculus 2e

Introduction to Linear Functions

Precalculus 2eIntroduction to Linear Functions
Search for key terms or text.
An upward view of bamboo trees.
A bamboo forest in China (credit: “JFXie”/Flickr)

Chapter Outline

2.1 Linear Functions
2.2 Graphs of Linear Functions
2.3 Modeling with Linear Functions
2.4 Fitting Linear Models to Data

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 1.5 inches every hour.1 In a twenty-four hour period, this bamboo plant grows about 36 inches, or an incredible 3 feet! A constant rate of change, such as the growth cycle of this bamboo plant, is a linear function.

Recall from Functions and Function Notation that a function is a relation that assigns to every element in the domain exactly one element in the range. Linear functions are a specific type of function that can be used to model many real-world applications, such as plant growth over time. In this chapter, we will explore linear functions, their graphs, and how to relate them to data.

Footnotes

  • 1http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-3000/fastest-growing-plant/
PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/precalculus-2e/pages/1-introduction-to-functions
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/precalculus-2e/pages/1-introduction-to-functions
Citation information

© Jan 22, 2025 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.