1 | P a g e

SPM Additional Mathematics- by KBJIM - jimmigmig@yahoo.com

The Linear Law

1. When you plot a linear graph (straight line graph), y=mx +c, you should expect to be able to draw a
straight line through all the given points. However, in experimental work, many data collected do not fit
exactly onto the linear graph.



x

x

x

x x

x

x
x x

x

x x

x



line of best fit not able to draw line of best fit.

2. We then draw the line of best fit. The line of best fit is a straight line that passes through most of
the plotted points. If the line of best fit can be drawn from the plotted points, then we say such a law of
the form y =mx +c does exist for the given data.

3. From the straight line drawn, we can then find an approximate linear law for the given data.

Assignment: Now try to plot straight line graphs and answer those questions given in your text book..



Changing non-linear graphs to linear

y y






b

x x
2
0 0

y = ax
2
+b y = aX +b

y = 5x
2
+8 y = 5X +8

1. The graph y = ax
2
+ b is a curve graph if we plot y vs x. To change it to a linear form, we plot y
vs x
2
. When we plot y vs x
2
, we let X =x
2
so that the graph has a linear equation y = aX + b
which is a straight line graph.



2 | P a g e

y y






b

x 1/x
0 0
y = a/x +b y = aX +b

y = 5/x +8 y = 5X +8

2. The graph y = a/x + b is a curve graph if we plot y vs x. To change it to a linear form, we plot y
vs 1/x. When we plot y vs 1/x , we let X =1/x so that the graph has a linear equation y = aX + b
which is a straight line graph.

y y
2







b

x x
0 0
y
2
= ax +b Y = ax +b

y
2
= 5x +8 Y = 5x +8

3. The graph y
2
= ax + b is a curve graph if we plot y vs x. To change it to a linear form, we plot y
2

vs x. When we plot y
2
vs x , we let Y =y
2
so that the graph has a linear equation Y = ax + b which
is a straight line graph.

y y
2









x 1/x
0 1 0
y
2
x = a Y = aX

y
2
x = 2 Y = 2X ( y
2
=2/x)

4. The graph y
2
x = a is a curve graph if we plot y vs x. To change it to a linear form, we plot y
2
vs
1/x. When we plot y
2
vs 1/x , we let Y =y
2
and X = 1/x so that the graph has a linear equation
Y = aX which is a straight line graph.
3 | P a g e

y log y






1 c

x x
0 0

y = ab
x
Y = mx +c (log y =x log b +log a)

y = 3(2
x
) Y = 0.3x +0.48 ( log y =x log 2 +log 3)

5. The graph y = ab
x
is a curve graph if we plot y vs x. To change it to a linear form, we plot log y
vs x. When we plot log y vs x , we let Y =log y and the graph has a linear equation Y = mx + c
which is a straight line graph.

y log y






b

x log x
0 0

y = ax
n
Y = mX +c ( log y = n log x + log a )

y = 3x
2
Y = 2X +0.48 (log y =2 log x +log 3)

6. The graph y = ax
b
is a curve graph if we plot y vs x. To change it to a linear form, we plot log y vs
log x. When we plot log y vs log x , we let Y =log y and X =log x then the graph has a linear
equation Y = mX + c which is a straight line graph.

y y








x x
2
0 0
y = ax
n
y = mx +c

y = 3x
2
y = 3X

you could also plot y against x
2
4 | P a g e

Exampl e G.1: Reduce the follow types of variations to a linear relationship:
(a) y =ax
n
(b) xy =2 (c) y =3x
2
+8 (d) y
2
=5x +8 (e) y =x
2
+2x (f) y =2x + 3
x
(g) y
2
= 1/x +8 (h) 2x
2
+y
2
=8x (i) y =ab
x
(j) pv =k

Solution:

(a) y =ax
n
(b) xy =2

log y = n log x +log a y =2/x

Let Y =log y , X =log x and c =log a Let X =1/ x

Then Y =nX + c then y =2X


(c) y =3x
2
+8

(d) y
2
=5x +8


Let X =x
2
Let Y =y
2


Then y =3X +8 then Y =5x +8


(e) y =x
2
+2x

(f) y =2x +3

x
y =x +2 yx =2x +3
x

Let y =Y

Let Y =yx
x

Then Y =x +2 then Y =2x +3


(g) y
2
=1/x

+8

(h) 2x
2
+y
2
=8x


Let Y

=y
2
and X =1/x

2x +y
2
= 8
x
Then Y =X +8 Let Y =y
2
, then Y =8 2x
x


(i) y =ab
x


(j) pv =k



log y =x log b +log a p =k/v

Let log y =Y

, m =log b and c =log a

Let V =1/v


Then Y =mx +c then p =kV






5 | P a g e

Exampl e G.2: The figure shows a linear rel ationshi p that has been reduced.
Find (a) the original graph relationshi p (b) the value of x when y =4


Solution:
log y
(a) gradient of graph, m = 2
2
linear equation: Y =2X +2

log y =2 log x + 2

log y =log x
2
+log 100 log x
1
hence y =100x
2

(b) when y =4 , x =0.2


Exampl e G.3: The figure shows a linear rel ationshi p that has been reduced from y = ka
x
.
Find the val ue of a and k.


Solution:
log y
(a) gradient of graph, m = 2.66 2.4 =0.026 (10, 2.66)
10
linear equation: Y =0.026x +2.4

log y = x log a +log k

m =log a =0.026 and log k =2.4 2.4

hence a =1.061 and k =251 x
0






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