Final answer:
The point-slope form of a line's equation, y - y1 = m(x - x1), relates the slope (m) and a known point (x1, y1) on the line. The slope signifies the rate at which y increases as x increases, and while the y-intercept (b) isn't directly in this form, it represents where the line crosses the y-axis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation you're referring to in the question is the point-slope form of a straight line. This form is used when you know a particular point on the line (x1, y1) and the slope (m) of the line. The general point-slope equation is written as:
y - y1 = m(x - x1)
The point-slope form of a line's equation, y - y1 = m(x - x1), relates the slope (m) and a known point (x1, y1) on the line. The slope signifies the rate at which y increases as x increases, and while the y-intercept (b) isn't directly in this form, it represents where the line crosses the y-axis.
The slope, m, indicates how steep the line is and is calculated as the rise over run. If you were to have the slope value as 3, for example, the line would rise 3 units on the y-axis for every 1 unit it runs along the x-axis.
The point (x1, y1) is a specific point that the line goes through, and the y-intercept, b, although not directly used in this form, is the point where the line crosses the y-axis when x = 0.