FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The correct representation of the y-intercept in a linear equation is found in the equation defined as Y = mx + b. In this equation, "b" specifically denotes the y-intercept, which is the value of "y" when "x" is zero. This means that at the point where the graph intersects the y-axis (where x=0), the value of y will equal "b".

The other options represent different mathematical concepts. For instance, the equation Y - ya = m(X - xa) is known as the point-slope form of a linear equation. It describes a line's slope and a specific point on that line instead of explicitly identifying the y-intercept. The equation y = ax^2 + bx + c represents a quadratic function, which does not pertain to linear equations. Lastly, m = (y2 - y1)/(x2 - x1) is the formula for calculating the slope between two points, which also does not define the y-intercept itself.