LINEAR EQUATIONS

Activity 4: Making an Equation

From our data, it is clear that the total length of the seeds (L) increases when there is an increase in the number of seeds (N). For a smaller number of seeds, let us say 5, the total length is smaller than more number of seeds, let us say 10 and so on. Thus, we can say L is directly proportional to n.

L ∝ N

If we introduce D, which we will call the constant of proportionality, we can write:

L = D × N

Compare the equation above with the general equation for a straight line,

Y = M × X

We can see that the two equations are similar. D and m (the slope) are equivalents.

But what does D really mean in this case? It is the average diameter which we calculated in the previous activity:

D = L/ N

Thus, we can say that the slope of the line is equal to the average diameter of the seeds. Now, using the equation (L = D x n), find the length of 11 seeds.

Write the equations that you have found in the space below: