Final answer:
The y-intercept of a line is where it intersects the y-axis. The slope is the change in the y-value divided by the change in the x-value. Specifying a y-intercept and slope identifies a specific line.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding and Interpreting the y-intercept
The y-intercept, a, of a line describes where the plot line crosses the y-axis. To determine the y-intercept, we set x equal to zero and solve for y. The y-intercept tells you at what y value the line intersects the y-axis.
Slope and y-intercept of a Linear Equation
For the linear equation y = a + bx, b represents the slope and a represents the y-intercept. The y-intercept is the y-coordinate of the point (0, a), where the line crosses the y-axis.
Slope and the Algebra of Straight Lines
The b term in an equation for a straight line is called the y-intercept. If x = 0, then the b term reveals where the line intercepts, or crosses, the y-axis. The slope, m, of a line is defined as the change in the vertical axis divided by the change in the horizontal axis. Specifying a y-intercept and a slope will identify a specific line.