TEAS Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

In the slope-intercept formula, which is often written as \( y = mx + b \), the letter 'm' specifically represents the slope of the line. The slope is a measure of how steep the line is, indicating the rate at which 'y' changes for a given change in 'x'.

This concept is fundamental in understanding linear equations, as the slope quantifies the relationship between the two variables. A positive slope means that as 'x' increases, 'y' also increases, while a negative slope indicates that as 'x' increases, 'y' decreases. The slope is crucial for graphing the line and for interpreting the behavior of the relationship represented by the equation.

The other terms mentioned in the answer choices refer to different components of the linear equation. The y-intercept, indicated by 'b' in the formula, is the point where the line crosses the y-axis, while the x-intercept refers to where the line crosses the x-axis. The midpoint refers to a specific point that is halfway between two other points and is not relevant in the context of the slope-intercept form.