Answer:
To tell if a function is linear, simply look at the exponents of the variables "x" and "y". Both of these exponents will have to be one and only one (1), any other exponent will turn the function into non-linear. Radicals also count as exponents different than one, because they are fractional exponents. Since there are no radicals or exponents written in this equation, we can conclude that all variable exponents are one (1), hence it's a linear equation.