Final answer:
The vertical intercept represents Malik's initial gift card balance of $300, and the horizontal intercept shows that the gift card will last for 10 months of karate lessons before the balance reaches zero.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of Malik's gift card balance over time, the vertical axis intercept on the graph represents the initial amount on the gift card before any karate lessons are paid for.
This would be the point where time is zero, indicating that no time has passed, and the full $300 is available. In this case, it corresponds to the initial balance of the gift card.
The horizontal axis intercept explains how long the gift card will last, in months, until the balance reaches zero. This can be found by dividing the total amount on the gift card by the monthly cost of the karate lessons ($300 / $30 per month = 10 months). Therefore, the horizontal intercept would be at the 10-month mark, indicating that Malik can pay for karate lessons for 10 months before the gift card is depleted.