Question

What does the value 40 in the equation y=7.5+40 represent in the context of this situation?

Answer 1

40 is an addend in an addition

40 is the y-intercept if the question really is y = 7.5x + 40.

Explanation:

40 is just a number in a sum of 2 numbers.

Perhaps you meant

y = 7.5x + 40

If that is the case, then 40 is the y-intercept.