The form y=mx+b means slope m and y-intercept b; similarly, the form y=mx+a means slope m and y-intercept a.
The slope-intercept form of the equation of a line is a useful form for graphing as well as for understanding the relationship between x and y. In this lesson, learn how the slope-intercept form helps you understand the equation of a line.
The equation of a line can be written many different ways, and each of these ways is valid. The slope-intercept form of a line is a way of writing the equation of a line so that the slope of the line and the y-intercept are easily identifiable. The slope is the steepness of the line, and the y-intercept is the place the line crosses the y-axis.
A line is a relationship between two things - but not just any relationship. When you have a linear relationship, one that can be graphed as a line, there is one big condition:
No matter how much you have of a thing (often called x), if you add one more you always get a consistent amount more of the other thing (often called y).
