The function provided is $y = -9x + 10$.

This is a linear function because it can be written in the form $y = mx + b$, where $m$ and $b$ are constants. In this case, $m = -9$ and $b = 10$, and the variable $x$ appears with a power of 1 (i.e., it is not squared, cubed, or involved in any non-linear operations like exponentials or trigonometric functions). Therefore, the function represents a straight line.

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Here are five related questions to explore:

1. What are the slope and y-intercept of the function $y = -9x + 10$?
2. How do we graph a linear equation like $y = -9x + 10$?
3. What is the difference between a linear and nonlinear function?
4. How do changes in the coefficient $m$ affect the steepness of the graph?
5. What types of real-world problems can be modeled with linear equations?

Tip: Linear functions graph as straight lines, while nonlinear functions involve curves or more complex shapes.