What is the slope-intercept form of the equation of a line?

The slope-intercept form of the equation of a line is represented as y = mx + b. In this equation, 'm' denotes the slope of the line, which indicates how steep the line is, while 'b' signifies the y-intercept, the point where the line crosses the y-axis. This format is particularly useful because it clearly expresses the relationship between the variables and allows for easy graphing.

The identifier 'm' for slope and 'b' for y-intercept are standard notations in mathematics, which makes this form widely recognized and used. When you have an equation in this form, you can quickly determine both the angle at which the line rises or falls and where it intersects the y-axis, which are key aspects of linear functions. Understanding this format lays a strong foundation for graphing linear equations and analyzing their properties.