Introduction to Characteristics of Linear Functions and Their Graphs

An upward view of bamboo trees.

Imagine placing a plant in the ground one day and finding that it has doubled its height just a few days later. Although it may seem incredible, this can happen with certain types of bamboo species. These members of the grass family are the fastest-growing plants in the world. One species of bamboo has been observed to grow nearly 1.5 inches every hour. In a twenty-four hour period, this bamboo plant grows about 36 inches or an incredible 3 feet! A constant rate of change, such as the growth cycle of this bamboo species, is a linear function.