Question

how do you find the constant of variation?

Answer 1

y=kx
y is the output,
x is the input.

the k is the constant of variation.

I can give you an example, but is there a specific problem that you want to do?

Answer 2

no

Answer 3

Okay.
So when you are asked to find a constant of variation...

For instance.
Find the constant of direct variation, k, if x=2 when y=4.

Answer 4

THis is what you do

y=kx
plug in x=2 and y=4
4=k(2)
solve for k, by dividing by 2.
k=2

So the answer is 2.

Answer 5

Oh I see thanks

Answer 6

http://hotmath.com/hotmath_help/topics/constant-of-variation.html

Answer 7

there are different kinds of variation. The example that I showed has a direct variation.

Answer 8

(and there x is increasing y.... the graph has a positive slope, and the x and y have direct proportional relation to each other)

Answer 9

there is an inverse variation
y=k/x
(as the absolute value of x increases the absolute value of y decreases, and vica versa)

Answer 10

the reason I said "absolute value" in a condition, is for when k is a negative number.
and knowing that -5<-4, -3<-1 and on... (get that a bigger negative is LESS...)
and, if we get
y=(negative number) / x
the as y increases, the x increases, because it becomes a negative value with a smaller magnitude.....

but don't read this.. I might be overloading ...