Question

How to differentiate between a direct and an indirect variation?

Answer 1

In an inverse relationship, as x increases the absolute value of y decreases, in a direct equation, as x increases the absolute value of y also increases.

Direct equations follow the form y = mx.

Examples: y = 3x or y = -7x or y =0.25x etc.

Inverse variations follow the form y = k/x or xy = k

Examples: y = 12/x this can also be written as xy = 12

y = -0.5/x this can also be written as xy = -0.5