Answer:
a, b – linear
c – nonlinear
Explanation:
When classifying a function from its table, you generally are looking at the way y changes when x changes. When the x-values are evenly-spaced, as they are here, then it is much easier to identify the function type from the y-values.
For evenly-spaced x-values ...
y-values have a common difference: linear function
y-values have changing differences: non-linear
y-values have a common ratio: exponential function
y-values have common "second differences": quadratic
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a) Differences of y-values are ...
11 -14 = -3, 8 -11 = -3, 5 -8 = -3 . . . linear function
b) Differences of y-values are ...
-1 -(-3) = 2, 1 -(-1) = 2, 3 -1 = 2 . . . linear function
c) Differences of y-values are ...
3 -5 = -2, 1 -3 = -2, 3 -1 = 2 . . . nonlinear function