Question

slope-intercept form - item 35342
sandy planted a tree and wanted to record its growth. the graph shows growth of the
tree over time.
the equation for the tree’s growth is $y = \frac{1}{2}x + 20$.
select the meaning of the slope and $y$-intercept from the drop-down menus.
tree growth
in the scenario, the slope represents
in the scenario, the $y$-intercept represents

Explanation:

1. The equation is in slope-intercept form $y=mx+b$, where $m$ is the slope ($\frac{1}{2}$) and $b$ is the y-intercept (20).
2. The slope is the rate of change of $y$ (height) per unit $x$ (time): $\frac{1}{2}$ inch per year.
3. The y-intercept is the value of $y$ when $x=0$ (time=0, the year the tree was planted), so it is the initial height of 20 inches.

Answer:

In the scenario, the slope represents the annual growth rate of the tree, $\frac{1}{2}$ inch per year.
In the scenario, the y-intercept represents the initial height of the tree, 20 inches when it was planted.