Ask Dr. Math

High School Archive

Browse High School Linear Equations
Stars indicate particularly interesting answers or good places to begin browsing.

Selected answers to common questions:
    Diophantine equations.
    Solving simple linear equations.

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Volume by Inch of a Cone-Shaped Tank [03/03/2003]

I have a chemical tank that has a cone bottom and I need to know the volume of each inch of the cone.

A Way to Estimate the Square Root of Any Number [03/16/2006]

A student studying square roots discovers an interesting method of estimating non-perfect roots and is curious why it works.

A Way to Remember What 'm' and 'b' Mean in Slope-Intercept Form [02/01/2004]

An interesting memory trick to help you remember how to graph a linear equation in slope-intercept form.

What is Nonlinear Math? [10/02/1997]

What exactly is nonlinear math, and what is it used for?

When is a Slope 0 or Undefined? [3/29/1997]

How do I know when the slope of an equation is zero or undefined (no slope)?

Why b for Intercept? [10/16/2003]

In the slope-intercept formula, y = mx + b, why is 'b' used to represent the y-intercept?

Why Does Adding Equations to Solve a System Work? [02/10/2007]

I know you can add two linear equations together to eliminate one variable as part of solving a system of equations, but I don't understand why that works. Are you adding the lines together? What does the resulting equation represent in terms of the original lines?

Why Does the Slope Formula Work? [10/29/2008]

How does the slope formula (y2 - y1)/(x2 - x1), which uses subtraction and division, come up with a slope?

Why is 'b' Used in Slope-Intercept Form? [02/04/2004]

Why is the letter 'b' used for the y-intercept in the slope-intercept form of a linear equation?

Why Is Slope Rise Over Run and Not Run Over Rise? [03/05/2005]

We were wondering today in math class why slope is defined as rise over run and why it couldn't be run over rise?

X- and Y-Intercepts [09/15/1998]

I'm having a hard time finding out how to solve an equation and then do the graph. The intercepts confuse me also...

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