What does the variable m represent in the slope-intercept form y = mx + b?

• A. Slope
• B. Intercept
• C. Y-intercept
• D. X-value

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that in the equation y = mx + b, the symbol m is the slope. It tells how y changes when x changes—essentially the rise over run. If m is positive, the line climbs as you move to the right; if m is negative, the line falls; if m is zero, the line is flat. The number b is the y-intercept, the value where the line crosses the y-axis (what y is when x is zero). So m specifically captures the rate of change, the steepness of the line, while b pins down where the line sits on the vertical axis.