y-intercept
Definition
The y-intercept is the point where a line or curve intersects the y-axis. It represents the value of the dependent variable when the independent variable is zero.
Analogy
Think of the y-intercept as the starting point on a road trip. Just like you start at a specific location before driving anywhere, the y-intercept gives you a starting value for your dependent variable before any changes in your independent variable occur.
Related terms
Slope: The slope measures how steep or flat a line or curve is. It indicates how much the dependent variable changes for each unit change in the independent variable.
X-intercept: The x-intercept is where a line or curve intersects the x-axis. It represents the value of the independent variable when the dependent variable is zero.
Regression Line: A regression line is a straight line that best fits a set of data points. It shows the relationship between an independent and dependent variable by minimizing overall distance from each data point to itself.
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