[b][color=#ff0000]y = mx + c[/color][/b][br][br][b][u]y-intercept[br][/u][/b]This refers to the point where the line cuts the y-axis.[br]For x = 0 ; the equation becomes [br]y = m(0) + c[br]therefore y = c ; meaning where x = 0 , [br][i][color=#0000ff]the line cuts the y-axis at the value of c,......... c = y-intercept[/color][/i][br][br][u][b]Slope[/b][/u][br]This refers to :[br]1) how steep the line is[br]2) the direction on the line[br][br]the slope is defined by [math]\frac{the.change.in.y}{the.change.in.x}[/math] = [math]\frac{y}{x}[/math] [br][br]set the y-intercept to 0, then y = mx + c becomes[br]y = mx + 0 [br]y = mx[br][i][color=#0000ff]m = [/color][/i][math]\frac{y}{x}[/math] , [i][color=#0000ff]defining the slope ........................m = slope [br][br][br][/color][/i][color=#ff0000]Play with different values for m and c by using the slides marked "m" and "c" in the graph above , and note the effects on the y-intrecept and the slope.[/color][br][br][br][code][br][/code]