Question

What is the degree of a linear equation?

Answer 1

Hint: In the given question, we are required to find the degree of a linear equation. An equation is a mathematical statement indicating that the value of two expressions are equal. The equality of the two expressions is shown by the $ = $ sign. Linear equation is one of the several types of equations in algebra.

Complete answer:
Now, we know that the degree of an equation is the largest power of the variable in the equation. In algebra, the name of the equations are based upon the degrees of the equations. For example: an equation with degree as two is known as quadratic equation and the equation with degree as three is known as cubic equation.

So, the degree of the equation is defined as the highest power of variables present in an equation. Linear equations consist of linear terms only. Hence, the power or exponent of all the terms in the linear equations is one. So, the degree of any linear equation is $1$. Now, we also know that the linear equations are also called the first degree equations as the highest exponent of the variable is one.

Note: The process of finding the value of a variable in the equation is known as solving an equation. There are various methods of solving an equation in mathematics. Linear equations in one variable can be solved using transposition and linear equations in two variables can be solved using the substitution, cross multiplication and elimination methods. Degree of an equation is also called the order of the equation.