Final answer:
The independent variable in the equation h=60-4m is minutes (m), while the dependent variable is the height of the water (h). The slope is -4, showing the rate of decrease per minute, and the y-intercept is 60, the initial height of the water.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the equation h = 60 - 4m, which represents the height h (in inches) of water in a tank m minutes after it starts to drain, the independent variable is the minutes m, and the dependent variable is the height h. Minutes are independent because they pass on their own, without being affected by the height of the water. Conversely, the height of the water depends on the number of minutes that have passed since the tank started to drain. Therefore, if you were to plot this on a graph, m would be on the horizontal axis (x-axis) and h would be on the vertical axis (y-axis). The slope of this equation is -4, which indicates the rate at which the height decreases per minute. The y-intercept is 60, which represents the height of water at the starting time, before it begins to drain.