Final answer:
In Bryce's situation of selling cookies and brownies for a fundraiser, the y-intercept (b) of the linear equation y = mx + b represents the amount he raised from selling cookies last weekend, before any brownies are sold.
Step-by-step explanation:
The situation involving Bryce selling cookies and brownies to raise money for the local animal shelter can be modeled as a linear relationship. In such a linear relationship, the equation of the line is typically written as y = mx + b, where m represents the slope and b represents the y-intercept. The y-intercept, in this context, tells us the initial amount Bryce raised from selling cookies last weekend before he starts selling brownies.
The correct answer to the question of what the y-intercept of the line tells you about the situation is b. It represents the number of cookies Bryce sold last weekend. The y-intercept is the value of y when x is zero. It is not the slope, the total amount raised by selling brownies, nor the x-coordinate of the line's intersection with the x-axis.