In fact, to dual boot Linux on a Mac, you need two extra partitions: one for Linux and a second for swap space. The swap partition must be as big as the amount of RAM your Mac has. Check this by going to Apple menu > About This Mac.
Can Mac run Linux?
Apple Macs make great Linux machines. You can install it on any Mac with an Intel processor and if you stick to one of the bigger versions, you’ll have little trouble with the installation process. Get this: you can even install Ubuntu Linux on a PowerPC Mac (the old type using G5 processors).
Does dual boot work with Linux?
Linux is often best installed in a dual-boot system. This allows you to run Linux on your actual hardware, but you can always reboot into Windows if you need to run Windows software or play PC games. Setting up a Linux dual-boot system is fairly simple, and the principles are the same for every Linux distribution.