Example: "y"=–2"x"+4. The slope is "m"= –2 and the "y"-intercept is "b"=4 or the point (0,4). Substituting "y"=0 and solving for "x", we get 0=–2"x"+4 or "x"=2. So "x"=2 is the root of this linear function and the point (2,0) is the "x"-intercept. Since the slope is "m" = –2, the line is decreasing. Since |–2|=2>1, the decrease is "relatively" steep. For each change in "х" of 1 (to the right), the value of "у" changes -2 (goes down).