Graphing Review - Lecture Notes
August 28, 2006
I. Linear functions
A. Functional form
1. y = mx + b
Ex. Consider the budget constraint with the functional form y = -2x + 12
B. Slope
1. Given a unit change in the horizontal axis the slope is the value by which the vertical axis
will change while moving along the curve
2. In the functional form above m is the slope of the line
3. Given two points on a curve one may compute the slope using the "rise over run"
technique
a. Slope = rise/run = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)
Ex. Given points A and E one may compute the slope, rise/run = (6 - 8) / (3 - 2) = -2
