: a mathematical function in which the variables appear only in the first degree, are multiplied by constants, and are combined only by addition and subtraction
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That’s a tour of the sheaf of straight lines, or linear functions, over the real line.—👁 Image Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 19 July 2024 There are six algebra modules, for example, including ones about linear functions, quadratics, and exponentials.—👁 Image IEEE Spectrum, 22 July 2023 This weighted sum is then fed into a non-linear function called an activation function—a step that enables neural networks to model complex non-linear phenomena.—👁 Image Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, 2 Dec. 2019 One of our favorite refrains: tennis careers are not linear functions.—👁 Image Jon Wertheim, SI.com, 18 Mar. 2018
: a function whose graph is a straight line and which is represented by an equation of the form y = ax + b where a and b are constants, a does not equal zero, and x is any real number
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