Final answer:
The slope-intercept form of a linear equation is y = mx + b, where m is the slope, and b is the y-intercept. The slope m represents the steepness or incline of the line, and the y-intercept b is the point where the line crosses the y-axis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation y = mx + b is known as the slope-intercept form of a linear equation, where m represents the slope of the line, and b is the y-intercept. The slope, m, describes the steepness of the line, and is calculated as the rise over the run (change in y over change in x). The y-intercept, b, indicates the point where the line crosses the y-axis, which occurs when x is 0.
In the slope-intercept equation, the coefficient of x is the slope, and the constant term is the y-intercept. To find the slope and y-intercept from an equation, one needs to identify these terms. For instance, if the equation of the line is y = 3x + 9, the slope is 3, and the y-intercept is at the point (0, 9) on the y-axis.