document.write( "Question 983940: Why is y= and f(x)= considered the same thing? feel dumb right now... \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #604733 by josgarithmetic(39623)\"\" \"About 
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The question by itself is wrong. y is a variable and a number. f(x) is a function or the name of a function and a dependent variable. y can be a dependent variable too, if it is expected to be; or it can be an indepenent variable if the person using it means it to have this purpose.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The question can be made right if attention is on a variable y and if y is being assinged to a function.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "y=mx+b
\n" ); document.write( "Equation with (usually) two unknown variables, x and y. Each variable depends on the other.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "f(x)=mx+b
\n" ); document.write( "Function f defined according to the expression, mx+b. As written, f depends on x.
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