Y-intercept

High school (ages 12+)
Mathematics & Numbers

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/y-intercept

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the geometric definition?The point where a graph intersects the Y-axis
2. What is the algebraic condition?Occurs when the independent variable (x) equals 0
3. How do you find the Y-intercept of a function?Plug 0 into the function for x and calculate the result. For y = mx + b, the Y-intercept is the number b.
4. Where does the Y-intercept appear on a graph?It appears on the Y-axis, at coordinates (0, y). The graph touches the Y-axis at that spot.

Cartesian Coordinate System: A system using perpendicular axes (X and Y) to define points in a plane.
Analytic Geometry: The study of geometry using algebraic methods and coordinate systems.
Dependent Variable: A variable whose value depends on that of another variable (often plotted on the Y-axis).
Independent Variable: A variable whose value does not depend on another variable (often plotted on the X-axis).