Chapter 2: Problem 62
Determine whether the equation defines \(y\) as a function of \(x.\) $$3 x+7 y=21$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
Yes, the equation defines \( y \) as a function of \( x \).
Step by step solution
01
Isolate the Variable
To determine if the equation defines \( y \) as a function of \( x \), we need to solve for \( y \) in terms of \( x \). Start by isolating \( y \) on one side of the equation.Given: \( 3x + 7y = 21 \) Subtract \( 3x \) from both sides: \[ 7y = 21 - 3x \]
02
Solve for y
Now, divide both sides of the equation by 7 to solve for \( y \).\[ y = \frac{21 - 3x}{7} \] Simplify the right-hand side:\[ y = 3 - \frac{3}{7}x \]
03
Define y as a Function of x
The equation \( y = 3 - \frac{3}{7}x \) is in the format \( y = f(x) \), which clearly shows that \( y \) is expressed in terms of \( x \). Since there is only one value of \( y \) for each value of \( x \), the equation defines \( y \) as a function of \( x \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Understanding Linear Equations
A linear equation is a type of equation where the highest power of the variable is 1. This means the graph of a linear equation is always a straight line. Such equations can be written in the general form \( ax + by = c \), where \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \) are constants, and \( x \) and \( y \) are variables. In our exercise, the equation \( 3x + 7y = 21 \) is a linear equation.
Characteristics of a linear equation include:
Characteristics of a linear equation include:
- It involves no exponents or powers other than 1.
- The variables are always first-degree.
- The graph always forms a straight line on a coordinate plane.
Steps to Solving for y
Solving for \( y \) in an equation involves isolating \( y \) on one side of the equation, resulting in an expression that shows how \( y \) depends on \( x \). This process can be understood better with the help of a sequence of steps.
- Step 1: Isolate the terms with \( y \). In the equation \( 3x + 7y = 21 \), we subtract \( 3x \) from both sides to isolate terms with \( y \). This gives us \( 7y = 21 - 3x \).
- Step 2: Solve for \( y \). Next, divide both sides by 7 to fully isolate \( y \). This results in \( y = \frac{21 - 3x}{7} \).
- Simplify the expression. Simplifying gives us \( y = 3 - \frac{3}{7}x \).
Determining Functions
A function is a relationship where each input has a single output. In mathematical terms, this means that a function \( y = f(x) \) associates every value of \( x \) with only one value of \( y \).
For the equation \( y = 3 - \frac{3}{7}x \), we can say that \( y \) is a function of \( x \) because:
For the equation \( y = 3 - \frac{3}{7}x \), we can say that \( y \) is a function of \( x \) because:
- The expression \( y = 3 - \frac{3}{7}x \) clearly defines one value of \( y \) for every value of \( x \).
- There are no operations or cube roots that might produce multiple values of \( y \) for a single value of \( x \).
- We have a straight line graph which is characteristic of linear functions, verifying it's indeed a function.