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Graphing from slope-intercept form y=mx+b

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Graphing from Slope-Intercept Form

Slope-intercept form writes a line as y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept. To graph it, plot the y-intercept, then use the slope as rise over run to find a second point and draw the line. See a full worked example with y = 2x + 1.

Graphing from slope-intercept form

Slope-intercept form writes a line as y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept. This form makes graphing fast: start at the y-intercept, then use the slope to find a second point.

Worked example: y = 2x + 1

The y-intercept is (0, 1) — plot that point first. The slope is 2, which means rise 2, run 1: from (0, 1), move 1 unit right and 2 units up to land on the next point of the line, (1, 3).

Graphing y = 2x + 1 from slope-intercept form The line y = 2x + 1 starts at the y-intercept (0, 1). A slope triangle shows a rise of 2 and a run of 1, giving a slope of 2, which locates the next point on the line. x y run 1 rise 2 y-intercept (0, 1)
Graphing y = 2x + 1 from its y-intercept, using the slope as rise over run.

Other forms of a linear equation

Slope-intercept form is one of several ways a line can be written. You can also graph using a table of values or a single point and a slope, or general form — every method produces the same line, just starting from different given information.

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