Draw a Straight Line Graph from Curved Line y=85x^(-1)

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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of proportionality and graphing a curved function. It is clarified that while the function y=85x^-1 does not produce a straight line graph when plotted against x, it can be plotted as a straight line graph against the inverse of x. The conversation also mentions the relationship between A and r^2 and how it can be graphed as a straight line.
  • #1
fatoomch
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Hi,

If I have a curved line of, say, y=85x^(-1) could I say that y is proportional to 1 over x?... and use this to draw a straight line graph?

Thanks
 
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  • #2
Huh? The graph of this function is no straight line.
 
  • #3
sorry if I'm not clear on this.

If A=pi r^2 then A is proportional to r^2 and you could draw a straight line graph of A against r^2

so if y = 85x^-1 wouldn't y be proportional to the inverse of x?... you could plot a straight line graph of y against the inverse of x?
 
  • #4
You are correct.

What radou thought you meant was that the graph of y plotted against x is a straight line (which isn't true; of course it's a hyperbola). However, if you change the axes and plot y against 1/x, then you will obtain a straight line graph.
 

Related to Draw a Straight Line Graph from Curved Line y=85x^(-1)

1. What is the equation for a straight line graph?

The equation for a straight line graph is y = mx + b, where m is the slope (or gradient) of the line and b is the y-intercept (where the line crosses the y-axis).

2. How do I convert a curved line into a straight line graph?

To convert a curved line into a straight line graph, you can take the inverse of the x-values and plot them on the y-axis. In this case, the equation y = 85x^(-1) would become y = 85/x. This will result in a straight line graph.

3. What does the exponent in the equation y=85x^(-1) represent?

The exponent in the equation y=85x^(-1) represents the power to which the variable x is raised. In this case, x^(-1) means that x is being raised to the -1 power, which is the same as taking the reciprocal of x.

4. How do I find the slope of a straight line graph?

The slope of a straight line graph can be found by taking any two points on the line and using the formula (y2-y1)/(x2-x1), where (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are the coordinates of the two points. This will give you the slope, or gradient, of the line.

5. What is the significance of the y-intercept in a straight line graph?

The y-intercept in a straight line graph is the point where the line crosses the y-axis. It represents the value of y when x is equal to 0. In the equation y = mx + b, the y-intercept is represented by the variable b. It can give information about the starting point or initial value of a relationship between two variables.

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