x 2 3 4 5 y 3 5 7 9 There are more than one way to do this kind of problem. ---------------------------------------- First way: Look at (2,3). If you add 1 to 3 you get 4, and 4 is twice 2. Look at (3,5). If you add 1 to 5 you get 6, and 6 is twice 3. Look at (4,7). If you add 1 to 7 you get 8, and 8 is twice 4. Look at (5,9). If you add 1 to 9 you get 10, and 10 is twice 5. Now take the general case (x,y) and say the same thing about it: Look at (x,y). If you add 1 to y you get y+1, and y+1 is twice x. Write that as an equation: y+1 = 2x which simplifies to y = 2x - 1 ------------------------------------------------------------ Second way: Look at the point (2,3). If you double 2 you get 4, and 4 is 1 more than 3. Look at the point (3,5). If you double 3 you get 6, and 6 is 1 more than 5. Look at the point (4,7). If you double 4 you get 8, and 8 is 1 more than 7. Look at the point (5,9). If you double 5 you get 10, and 10 is 1 more than 9. Now take the general case (x,y) and say the same thing about it: Look at the point (x,y). If you double x you get 2x, and 2x is 1 more than y. Write that as an equation: 2x = y + 1 which simplifies to 2x - 1 = y or y = 2x - 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Third way: Look at the point (2,3). If you subtract 2 from 3 you get 1, and 1 is 1 less than 2. Look at the point (3,5). If you subtract 3 from 5 you get 2, and 2 is 1 less than 3. Look at the point (4,7). If you subtract 4 from 7 you get 3, and 3 is 1 less than 4. Look at the point (5,9). If you subtract 5 from 9 you get 4, and 4 is 1 less than 5. Now take the general case (x,y) and say the same thing about it: Look at the point (x,y). If you subtract x from y you get y-x, and y-x is 1 less than x. Write that as an equation: y-x = x-1 which simplifies to y = 2x - 1 ------------------------------------ There are even other ways to do it but you always get y = 2x - 1 Edwin