Question

Please Help! I don't get this one question at all and I'm confused. Can someone show me how to get the answer but explanation so I know for future reference. Thank you
1. One of the tables below contains (x,y) values that were generated by a linear function. Determine which table, and then write the equation of the linear function represented by the table.
Table #1
x 2 5 8 11 14 17 20
y 1 3 7 13 21 31 43

Table #2
x 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
y 10 13 18 21 26 29 34

Table #3
x 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
y 1 6 11 16 21 26 31

Answer 1

We are looking for a table, such that for every same increase in x, the y-values increase at a constant rate.

so, in Table #1, x is increasing nicely by 3, but the y's are not increasing by a constant rate..it increases 2, then 4, then 6.

So it's not Table I.

Table 2...As x increases by 1..the y-values do NOT increase at a constant rate..it increases by 3, then by 5, then by 3, ...that is not called a constant rate of increase (or decrease).

However, in Table 3, x's are all increasing by 2..and the y's are ALL increasing by a constant rate of 5.

So Table 3 is the linear relationship you are looking for.

Answer 2

Your welcome.

Answer 3

Thank you so much! That makes sense now. So what would the equation of the table be or how would I get it?

Answer 4

Well...find the slope between any two coordinates, say (2,1) and (4,6) and use y = mx + b.