What is the general form of the slope-intercept equation?

The general form of the slope-intercept equation is represented as ( y = mx + b ). In this equation, ( y ) and ( x ) are variables representing the coordinates of points on the graph, ( m ) represents the slope of the line, and ( b ) represents the y-intercept, which is where the line crosses the y-axis.

This format is particularly useful for quickly determining the slope of the line and where it intersects the y-axis, making it a fundamental concept in linear equations. Understanding this equation is essential for solving problems related to linear relationships in mathematics, such as finding rates of change and making predictions based on linear models.

The other choices provided do not conform to the standard slope-intercept format. For instance, equations like ( y = ax^2 + b ) represent a quadratic equation rather than a linear relationship, where the term ( ax^2 ) indicates a parabolic curve. Similarly, formats like ( y = mx - b ) or ( y = b - mx) involve manipulation of the conventional equation but do not accurately represent the standard way to express a linear equation in slope-intercept form.