When two quantities x and y are proportional, the relationship can be represented by the equation y=mx.
Proportional Relationship: Yes Equation: y=4x
Practice makes perfect
Consider the given graph.
We want to find if x and y are in a proportional relationship. To do so, remember that when two quantities are proportional, the relationship can be represented by the following equation.
y=mx
Here, m is the constant of proportionality. The graph of this equation is a line with a slope m that passes through the origin. Notice that the given line passes through the origin. This means that x and y are in a proportional relationship. To find the equation of the line, we will use the Slope Formula to obtain m.
m = y_2-y_1/x_2-x_1
Let's use the points ( 0, 0) and ( 1, 4) in the Slope Formula.
This type of equation contains at least one linear term and any number of constants. Let's see a few examples!
& y=2x+1,
& 3x=6 +3,
& 2y+x=4
For those of you who are interested in learning more about the different types of linear equations and their graphs, you can read more about them on the following pages.
