What do the variables in a slope intercept form equation mean?

Answer 1

The equation of a straight line is

y = mx + b

Here, y is the vertical axis value (ordinate) and x the horizontal axis value (abscissa).

m is the slope of the straight line and b is the intercept on the y axis when x = 0.

m is determined from any two points on the line as (y2-y1(/(x2-x1)

If you have any two points (x,y) you can solve for b

For example, suppose you have line connecting two points (x,y) at (0,3) and (3,6)

m = (3-0)/(6-3) = 1

at x = 0 y=3 = b

so we have y = mx+b = x + 3