m is the slope… the rise over run. For example you put two dots on a line… any random dots right? So you start at one dot and count the spaces (squares or blocks) up or down until you are in line with the second dot. Counting up or down would be the rise, a positive number if counting up, a negative number if counting down. Once you are horizontal to the second dot, count left or right to reach the second dot. If you go to the left it is a negative number, and if u count right it is a positive number. This would be the run. Usually the slope could be expressed as a fraction.

x is the bold line in the center of a graph that goes horizontally across the graph. If a dot is on that line (x line aka x axis) then count the boxes (left or right) to the dot and that is what the number for x would be. Remember going left will be a negative number, and right would be a positive number.

b is the y-intercept. The y line is the bold line going vertically across the graph. Look where the dot is on the y line (aka y axis) and count the squares up or down to the dot. Counting up is a positive number, counting down the line is a negative number.

Go here for more help! : http://www.purplemath.com/modules/strtlneq.htm

or here: http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/sets/select/dm_slope.html

Hope this helps! 🙂

m represents the slope ( rise/run)

b represents the point where the line crosses the y-axis

so if you’re give y=3x+7 as your equation

your slope is 3/1 rise 3/run1–> because it’s in the position your “m” is in

and your point where it crosses the x-axis is (0,7)–because 7 is where b is.

Where did I get the 0? Look at any point on the y- axis.

What do they all have in common?

they all have a “x” value of 0

How would you graph this?

Go to your point (0,7) put a dot there

Then from that point, RISE 3 and RUN 1

put another “dot”, then RISE 3 and RUN 1 again

put another dot