Question

A baby weighed 7.5 pounds when she was born. After she was born, she gained 0.5 pound per week. The relationship between x, the time in weeks, and y, the weight in pounds, can be described by a linear equation. When this equation is graphed, what is its y‑intercept?

Answer 1

The y-intercept of the linear equation is 7.5 pounds.

Step-by-step explanation:

The y-intercept of a linear equation

A linear equation is typically represented in the form y = mx + b, where m is the slope of the line and b is the y-intercept. In this case, the equation represents the relationship between time in weeks (x) and weight in pounds (y). Since the baby weighed 7.5 pounds when she was born, the y-intercept is 7.5.

To find the y-intercept, we set x to 0 in the equation. So, when x = 0, y = mx + b simplifies to y = 0 * m + b, which becomes y = b. Therefore, the y-intercept is the value of y when x = 0.

Answer 2

7.5 pounds

Step-by-step explanation:

The y-intercept is like the starting point. The baby was 7.5 pounds on the day of her birth (at 0 weeks) Her weight would go up from there. But 7.5 , the actual point (0 , 7.5) is the starting point, on the y-axis. It is the y-intercept.