You can use a graphing calculator or the graphing utility linked below to discover information about the linear parent function.
Input x under the equation editor button Y= on the graphing calculator, or y(x) = on the graphing utility link, and then click graph. This is the linear parent function. The image below is what the interactive should look like.
Explore the graphs of linear functions by adding or subtracting values to x (such as y = x + 2) or by multiplying x by a constant (such as y = 3x). Remember only y = x is the linear parent function.