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BASIC ALGEBRA
TUTORIAL 2 – STRAIGHT LINE GRAPHS
This tutorial is useful to anyone studying engineering. It uses the principle of learning
by example.
• Straight line laws
• Gradients
• Intercepts
• Practical applications
In general such laws are written as y = m x where y is the quantity plotted vertically and x the
quantity plotted horizontally and m is the gradient simply found as m = y/x.
Figure 2
9/5 is the gradient and is simply found as the ratio: (212 + 32) ÷ 100 = 1.8 or 9/5
Note that the graph intercepts the vertical axis at 32 and this is called the intercept. In general the
law is written
y = mx + C where m is the gradient and C the intercept with the y axis.
©D.J.Dunn 1
WORKED EXAMPLE No.1
The graph shows the relationship between the pressure ‘p’ of a gas plotted vertically and the
temperature ‘θ’ of a gas plotted horizontally when the volume is kept constant. Deduce the law
relating them. Calculate the temperature at which the pressure is zero.
Figure 3
SOLUTION
The vertical axis is p and the horizontal is θ so the graph has a law p = mθ + C
The gradient m is found from the two marked points.
Vertical change = 210 – 100 = 110 kPa Horizontal change = 300 – 0 = 300oC
m = 110/300 = 0.367 kPa/oC
The intercept with the vertical axis is at 100 kPa so C = 100 kPa
The law is p = 0.367θ + 100 where p is in kPa and θ is in oC
Now put p = 0 and find θ
0 = 0.367θ + 100 0.367θ = -100 θ = -100/0.367 = -272.5oC
SOLUTION
The law is y = mx + C
The gradient m is found by choosing any two points
such as (17.5, 30) and (0, -15).
The vertical change in y is 30 – (-15) = 45 and the
horizontal change in x is 17.5 – 0 = 17.5
m = 45/17.5 = 90/35 = 2.571 and the intercept with the y axis is C = -15.
The law is y = (90/35)x – 15 or 2.571x - 15
Note 90/35 is an exact number and 2.571 is rounded off. Figure 4
Check if it works by choosing any value of x say 10.
y = (2.571)(10) – 15 = 10.71 and this is correct when checked on the graph.
©D.J.Dunn 2
WORKED EXAMPLE No.4
The graph shows the relationship between a variable y plotted vertically and x plotted
horizontally. Deduce the law relating them.
Figure 5
SOLUTION
The law is y = mx + C The gradient m is found by choosing any two points such as (-2, 30)
and (7, -10).
The vertical change in y is -10 – (30) = -40 and the horizontal change in x is 7 - (-2) = 9
m = -40/9 = -4.444 and the intercept with the y axis is C = 21.
The law is y = -(40/9)x + 21 or -4.444x + 21
Note 90/35 is an exact number and 2.571 is rounded off.
Check if it works by choosing any value of x say 0.
y = (4.444) (0) + 21 = 21 and this is correct when checked on the graph.
Note that when the line slopes down to the right y is decreasing as x increases and the gradient
is always negative.
2. INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL
An example of this is Boyle’s law used in physics pV = C. In this law p is pressure and V is volume
and the relationship is true when the temperature is constant. If we rearrange the law into p = C/V
we may say that pressure is inversely proportional to volume or p = C (1/V). If we plot p against
(1/V) we will get a straight line passing through the origin and C (the constant) is the gradient of the
graph.
Figure 6
SOLUTION
When V = 0.5 1/V = 2 p = 333.3 (2) = 666.7 N/m2 and the graph bears this out.
©D.J.Dunn 3
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE No.1
1. Determine the law that relates the variables for the following graphs.
(a) (b)
Figure 7 a and b
(Answers y = 2.286x + 2 and y = -20.833x + 250)
Figure 8
(Answer y = 57.1(1/x) + 10)
©D.J.Dunn 4
Figure 9(a)
Figure 9 (b)
Figure 9 (c)
©D.J.Dunn 5