Reducing Equations to a

Linear Form

Andrew Robertson
 Today
Reducing data relationships to straight lines

WHY ?

One good reason is to be able to make forecasts from data

It is much easier to work and predict future results when the data
lies on a straight line

Another reason is that reducing to straight line form may help us

understand the relationship between x and y variables better

Consider the following data...............................

 Non linear growth
140 Reduced to straight line form
G 120 150
r 100 v
N
o 80 a 100
e
w 60 l
w 50
t 40 u
h 20 e
Y 0
0 s
0 50 100 150
0 5 10 15 New X values
time

Forecast using straight line

250
N Convert back to Non-Linear for
e 200
w
actual predicted value
150 250
Y G Predicted value
200
100 r
Forecast
v o 150

a w 100
50
l t
50
u h
0
0
e 0 50 100 150 200 250
0 5 10 15
s
New X values
time
Results that give a straight line graph
Heres some data that is linear

x 3.1 5.6 7.0 10.4 12.5

y 2.3 9.7 14.2 24.2 30.4

If these values are plotted on a graph
they lie on a straight line and so obey
the law

y = mx + c
 Experimental data 1

35

30

25

20

15

y 10

0
-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
-5

-10

-15
x
 We can calculate a and b from the graph as
follows:
The gradient, a
Choosing two points a long way apart, the line
passes through (2.3, 0) and (12.0, 28.5),
Therefore gradient a = 28.5/9.7 = 2.94 = 2.9
(to 2 s.f)
The y intercept, b
The graph cuts the y axis at (0, -7) ,
therefore y intercept b = -7

Equation is then y = 2.9x 7.0

Equations of the form y = ax+ b
If in another experiment the data
appears to satisfy a quadratic
relationship; If we let

Y =y, X = x

Then we can get a straight line by

plotting
Y = aX + b

We can plot Y (=y) against X (= x) we

should get a straight line and we can find
a and b from our graph.
Example
A hosepipe squirts water and the height, y
metres of the water above a fixed level at
a distance x m from the hose is measured
as
x 2 4 5 6 7 8
y 6.1 3.6 2.2 -0.1 -2.9 -5.5

This is thought to obey the law

y = ax2 + b
We need to make a table with values of x and
plot these on a graph, (a BIG graph if by plotted
by hand!)

x=X 4 16 25 36 49 64

y=Y 6.1 3.6 2.2 -0.1 -2.9 -5.5

 Hosepipe: height (Y) against distance squared (X)

2
Y (height)

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
-2

-4

-6

-8
X (distance squared)
 Plotting Y against X, gives a straight line
Y = aX + b

From the graph, choosing 2 points e.g.

(0, 6.9) and (35, 0) gives a = -0.20
(to 2 s.f.) (The gradient is -0.2)

The line cuts the Y axis where Y = 6.9

and so b = 6.9

Therefore y = -0.2X + 6.9 or

y = -0.2x2 + 6.9
 Hosepipe: height (Y) against distance squared (X)

2
Y (height)

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
-2

-4

-6

-8
X (distance squared)
Equations of the form y = kxn

(Power Law growth / decay y=kx-n )

 y = kxn

Plot logy against logx

Intercept is logk

Gradient is n
A water pipe is being laid between two points.
The following data are being used to show
how, for a given pressure difference, the rate
of flow R litres per second, varies with the
pipe diameter d cm

d 1 2 3 5 10

R 0.02 0.32 1.62 12.53 199.8

 Here we try the relationship R = kdm where k
is a constant

logR = mlogd + logk

Compare with y = mx + c

log d 0 0.3 0.48 0.70 1.00 (x)

log R -1.70 -0.49 0.21 1.10 2.30 (y)

 Log flow rate against log pipe diameter

2.5
y = 4.0x - 1.7
2

1.5

0.5
Log R

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2
Log d
 Log flow rate against log pipe diameter

2.5
y = 4.0x - 1.7
2

1.5

0.5
Log R

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2
Log d
Reading from the graph we can see that
c = = - 1.70
so k = = 0.02

gradient m = (change in y)/(change in x)

= 4.0

The relationship is then

R = 0.02d4
Equations of the form y = kax
(Exponential relationships)
 y = kax
Plot logy against x

intercept is logk

gradient is loga
 The temperature in C of a cup of coffee
after t minutes is recorded below

t 2 4 6 8 10 12

81 70 61 52 45 38
 If the relationship is of the form = kat
where k and a are constants

log = (loga)t + logk

(y = mx + c)

t 2 4 6 8 10 12

log 1.91 1.85 1.79 1.72 1.65 1.58

 Log theta against time

2.5

1.5
Log theta

y = -0.03x + 1.98

0.5

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
t (minutes)
Reading from the graph gives

logk = 1.98 k = 101.98 so k = = 95.5

gradient = y / x = -0.03

loga = - 0.03 so a = 10-0.03 = 0.93

Relationship is

= 95.5 x 09.3t
 Summary

y x 2
Plot Y vs X where X=x2

y kx n
Plot Log(y) vs Log(x)

y kb x
Plot Log(y) vs x