Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Mathematics Practice Exam

What is the Slope Intercept Form of a linear equation?

1. y = mx + b

2. y - y₁ = m(x - x₁)

3. Ax + By = C

4. y - y₂ = m(x - x₂)

The correct answer is: y = mx + b

The Slope-Intercept Form of a linear equation is expressed as \( y = mx + b \). In this formula, \( m \) represents the slope of the line, which indicates the steepness and direction of the line, while \( b \) stands for the y-intercept, the point at which the line crosses the y-axis. This form is particularly useful because it allows you to easily determine the slope and y-intercept directly from the equation, making it straightforward to graph linear equations. The structure of this equation emphasizes the relationship between the variables, with \( y \) being dependent on \( x \). As \( x \) increases, the value of \( y \) changes at a rate defined by the slope \( m \). This clarity of interpretation is a significant advantage of the slope-intercept form in applications such as graphing and analyzing linear trends. The other forms listed represent different ways of expressing linear equations. They are useful in various contexts but do not provide the same immediate insight into the slope and intercept. The second option reflects the point-slope form, which is useful for finding the equation of a line given a point on the line and its slope. The third option presents a standard form equation, which is useful