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Math · Functions

Linear functions

Find slope and intercept, write the equation of a line from two points or a graph, and interpret what the rate of change actually means in context. Every question comes with a written walkthrough of exactly how the equation was built.

3
Difficulty tiers
35s
Target pace
58%
Average first-attempt score

What's covered

  • Slope from two pointscompute (y₂−y₁)/(x₂−x₁), keeping the order of the two points consistent in both the numerator and denominator.
  • Slope-intercept formread the slope and y-intercept directly from y=mx+b once an equation is in that form.
  • Writing an equation from a point and a slopesubstitute into y=mx+b to solve for b once the slope and one point are known.
  • Parallel and perpendicular linesparallel lines share the same slope; perpendicular lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals of each other.
  • Interpreting slope in contextconnect the numeric slope to a real rate — dollars per item, miles per hour — including its sign.

Where students lose marks

Reversing the order of points in the slope formula

Swapping which point is (x₁,y₁) and which is (x₂,y₂) in only the numerator or only the denominator flips the sign of the slope — the order has to match in both.

Mixing up parallel and perpendicular slope rules

A slope of 2/3 is parallel to another line with slope 2/3, but perpendicular to one with slope −3/2 — flipping and negating, not just flipping or just negating.

Forgetting to solve for b after substituting

Plugging a known point into y=mx+b to find the y-intercept requires solving the resulting equation for b — stopping after substitution leaves an equation, not an answer.

Three sample questions

Straight from the bank — one per difficulty tier. Reveal the answer to see the explanation you'd get in a real session.

Sample 01Foundation

Find the slope of the line through (2, 3) and (6, 11).

Sample 02Core

A line has a slope of −3 and passes through (4, 2). What is its y-intercept?

Sample 03Advanced

Line ℓ passes through (1, 5) and is perpendicular to a line with equation y = (2/3)x − 4. What is the equation of line ℓ?

How to practice this

Linear function problems reward knowing which formula to reach for — slope from two points, point-slope, or parallel/perpendicular rules — as much as the arithmetic itself.

Identify what's given before picking a formula

Before writing anything, name what you have — two points, a slope and a point, or a parallel/perpendicular condition — and pick the matching approach. Untimed practice is where that judgment gets fast.

Then 35 seconds a question

Move to timed sessions once formula selection is automatic. Perpendicular and parallel problems run a little longer since there's an extra step before the main equation.

Fold into a mock

Pair linear functions with quadratic functions in a mock — reading a graph and connecting it to an equation is the shared skill.

Stop guessing the formula.
Start matching it to what's given.

  • A formula-selection walkthrough on every item
  • Timed or untimed sessions, any length you like
  • Tracked separately — see your linear functions accuracy and pace over time
Start practicing free

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