Question 127005
There are a couple of definitions of linear in mathematics, but I suspect you are looking for the following:


A polynomial of degree 1 is said to be <b>line</b>ar, because the graph of a function of that form is a straight <b>line</b>.

Over the reals, a linear function is one of the form:


{{{f(x) = m x + b}}}


m is often called the slope or gradient; b the y-intercept, which gives the point of intersection between the graph of the function and the y-axis.