Final answer:
In the equation y = 1/5x - 11, the y-intercept, represented by b, is -11. This tells us where the line will intersect the y-axis on a graph.
Step-by-step explanation:
When we are given a linear equation in the form y = mx + b, the value of b represents the y-intercept. This is the point where the line crosses the y-axis on a graph.
In the equation provided by the student, y = 1/5x - 11, the coefficient of x is the slope (m), which is 1/5, while the term after the x represents the y-intercept (b). Thus, in this equation, the y-intercept b is -11.
To understand this concept further, we can refer to a typical graph where a line is plotted using various x values to determine the corresponding y values. The y-intercept is essential as it indicates the starting point of the line on the vertical axis when x equals zero.