In the equation \( y = mx + b \), the variable \( m \) represents the slope of the line. The slope indicates how steep the line is and the direction in which it moves; specifically, it describes the change in \( y \) for a unit change in \( x \).
For example, if \( m \) is positive, the line rises as it moves from left to right, while if \( m \) is negative, the line falls. If \( m = 0 \), the line is horizontal.
The variable \( b \) in the equation is the y-intercept, which is the point at which the line crosses the y-axis (where \( x = 0 \)). Thus, the y-intercept is given by the value of \( b \).