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Study Guides > College Algebra CoRequisite Course

Introduction to Modeling With Linear Functions

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
  • Identify steps for modeling linear functions and solving problems.
  • Build linear models from verbal descriptions.
  • Draw and interpret scatter plots.
  • Find the line of best fit using a calculator.
  • Distinguish between linear and nonlinear relations.
  • Use a linear model to make predictions.
 
Photo of the Seattle skyline. A view of the Seattle skyline. (credit: EEK Photography/Flickr)
Emily is a college student who plans to spend a summer in Seattle. She has saved $3,500 for her trip and anticipates spending $400 each week on rent, food, and activities. How can we write a linear model to represent her situation? What would be the x-intercept, and what can she learn from it? To answer these and related questions, we can create a model using a linear function. Models such as this one can be extremely useful for analyzing relationships and making predictions based on those relationships. In this section, we will explore examples of linear function models.

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