Calling All Math Lovers

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I for one am not, but I am in dire need (well not dire) but need of some help.

I know slope intercept form is y = mx + b, and y and x are the intercepts, m is the slope, but what oh what is the b?

y must math b so blah?

 

for x = 0, then

y(0) = m*0 + b

y(0) = b

'tis the slope's intersection with Y-axis, hence X = 0. In case b = 0, the slope goes through x,y(0,0)

[ November 05, 2002, 09:27: Message edited by: Lokken ]

 

Its like saying every punk has to cross the line at some point.

 

I can't say that I love Mathetais...But he's a helluva guy!

Seriously though - Math was probably the most difficult subject for me growing up. I was always better at languages or history. I am also fascinated by science, but I usually have trouble with theorems and formulae. My sister, however, is brilliant at math and quick at picking up languages...

Oh well, we can't be great at everything, can we?

 

I love myself ... not as often as I did before I was married .....

sorry, couldn't resist

 

C'mon Math, tell us the truth!
How long did you say you have been married??

 

I don't understand math... What do you do whit math in your life, i dont mean multiplications i mean algebra and stuff what do you do whit those, nothing. Am i right?

 

And in molecular biology we use it all the time. Especially logaritmic functions. So there is hardly any way around science without math. Of course if you want to be a baker or a police officer or a Soldier or a journalist or or or or or, then there is no need for more than preliminary math. Don't worry

[ November 05, 2002, 19:04: Message edited by: Nobleman ]

 

Unfortunately for those of us out in the real world (i.e. not in high school) math is a necessary evil. Sometimes I think that advanced calculus, trigonometry, and plane geometry are out to get me every time I try to balance my checkbook. Math has even been useful (gasp!) while working on various academic papers - more interesting because I work in an English and Languages department! It comes in handy when studying style, rhythmics, and other mechanical aspects of literature! I hate to say it, but math is not so bad...

 

Back to the orginal question, b is what y equals, when x=0.....Thus y=mx+b, if x=0, then y=b (exactly what Lokken said, but simpler), b is the y-intercept.
For example: y=16x+8, Let x=0, then y=8...therefore, the y-intercept is 8.

 

Well, you don't need to be a math lover to understand this algebra...but we all learned that long ago, in 6th or 7th or 8th grade maybe?

Anyway, b also tells you how to graph the equation. If b=100000, you go to the point (0,100000) and if the slope was 1/2, then you either move up 1 and right 2 or down 1 and left 2 until you have a line.

So, Big B, did all this help you in your quest to find little b? And don't tell me you're using this in a real-life application, 'cause if you are, I'm scared.

[ November 06, 2002, 10:12: Message edited by: Farthy ]

 

Yes, it all helped.

What happened was a friend of mine was working on her homework and consulted me about slope intercept form.

I was proud to say I could tell her it was y = mx + b. But I couldn't remember exactly what b stood for.

[ November 07, 2002, 00:27: Message edited by: Big B ]