Re: is f(x) = ax+b a linear function?

In article <1160295510.951753.276440@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
alainverghote@xxxxxxxx <alainverghote@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

In French we possess two words:
linear f(x) =3D a* x
and affine f(x) =3D a*x + b ,

Those two also exist in English, and they are the same.

But that is in a more restricted context. When, in for example
calculus, one talks about families of functions, they usually include
the polynomial functions, the exponential functions, logarithmic,
trig, etc. The polynomial functions are often divided according to the
degree of the polynomial, into "constant functions" (the 0 function
and degree 0 polynomial functions), "linear" or "degree 1" functions
(polynomial functions given by a polynomial of degree 1), "quadratic"
or "degree 2", "cubic" or "degree 3", etc.

--
======================================================================
"It's not denial. I'm just very selective about
what I accept as reality."
--- Calvin ("Calvin and Hobbes" by Bill Watterson)
======================================================================

Arturo Magidin
magidin-at-member-ams-org

.

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