08:11 Nov 29, 2011 

you can't be serious???? Even Zareh disagrees with his own answer!

14:54 Nov 23, 2011 

the one is easily obtained from the other, ie the x-intercept is just -m/b, sorry, -b/m! But yes, it is important to specify which intercept one is referring to!

14:19 Nov 23, 2011 

understood to be the y-intercept. (standard form of st line y = mx + b)

09:02 Nov 23, 2011 

Imagine an infinitely high vertical line sliding along an infinitely wide horizontal line. This is the y-ordinate, or just "ordinate", and all values of y are defined on it. It is said to "cut" the x-axis. Where a line (or curve) cuts the x-axis (ie where y=0), this is known as the x-intercept, and the point is defined as (x,0).
Generally speaking, the origin of a Cartesian coordinate system is conventionally (0,0), so in this particular case, the straight line of slope B goes through the origin, giving the simple equation y=Bx, UNLESS the author has redefined the origin as being some other point (A,0). More generally, an experimentalist would simply say "a straight line of slope P and intercept Q", where Q is generally (but not always) taken to be the x-intercept.

09:01 Nov 22, 2011 

Thanx to you both for the research and explanations.