Origin of y=mx+b: Explaining Slope & Y-Intercept

[Liger20]

Hello, could someone please explain to me why the equation y=mx+b uses 'm' for slope and 'b' for y-intercept? This has always bothered me for some reason.

 

[symbolipoint]

"m" comes from "mont", or "mount", or some french or latinized word meaning mountain, or sloping grade. The "b", I'm not sure about. Maybe (just a wild guess) base, bass, some word meaning low point, like where the "mountain" meets the "flat". I'm more certain about the "m" for "mont" as the slope.

 

[Nabeshin]

Hello, could someone please explain to me why the equation y=mx+b uses 'm' for slope and 'b' for y-intercept? This has always bothered me for some reason.

The b problably comes from the fact that polynomials are typically written y=ax^n+bx^n-1+cx^n-2 etc. But the special case of a linear polynomial a=m (from what symboipoint said) and the b probably just stayed.

 

[csprof2000]

In Italy, they don't use b, they use q.

 

[arildno]

In norway, m is called a.

 

[Nancarrow]

And in Britain, 'b' is called 'c'!

 

[HallsofIvy]

Wow, you guys have really strange alphabets!

 

[Tac-Tics]

I always enjoyed $$n \cdot p_0 = n \cdot \left[ \begin{array}{c}x\\y\end{array} \right]$$