Final answer:
The formula for the slope of a linear function is y = (y₂ - y₁) / (x₂ - x₁).
Step-by-step explanation:
The formula for the slope of a linear function is y = (y₂ - y₁) / (x₂ - x₁). In this equation, m represents the slope and is defined as the rise divided by the run of the straight line.
The letter b represents the y-intercept, which is the point where the line intersects the y-axis. It's important to remember that the coefficient of x is the slope and the constant number is the y-intercept.