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

The slope-intercept form of a linear equation is expressed as y = mx + b, where "m" represents the slope of the line and "b" represents the y-intercept. This format is particularly useful because it allows one to quickly identify both the steepness of the line (the slope) and the point where it crosses the y-axis (the y-intercept).

In this equation, "m" indicates how much y changes for a unit change in x. A positive slope means the line rises as it moves to the right, while a negative slope means it falls. The "b" value tells us where the line intersects the y-axis, which is critical for graphing the equation.

The other options presented do not adhere to the conventional form of slope-intercept. For instance, y = bx + m rearranges the terms and does not maintain the standard representation. The positions of "m" and "b" in those alternatives do not align with the meanings of slope and intercept, further demonstrating that y = mx + b is indeed the correct representation of a linear equation's slope-intercept form.